May 16, 2017
By Florida Sportsman Editor
Gulf cobia workshops scheduled: FWC seeking public input.
There's long been talk along the Panhandle of the diminished spring cobia run, but it's always hard to tell in fishing what's reality and what's people being quiet about a good bite. But now there's concern about the cobia populations out in the open and the FWC plans to ask people about their opinions. There's even a group called Save Our Cobia, led by fishermen, taking up the banner of regulations reform for cobia fishing. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting five public workshops and an online webinar to gather public input on the Gulf cobia fishery.
Staff have heard the concerns in recent years, especially in the Panhandle. Cobia is currently open year-round and has a minimum size limit of 33 inches fork length and a daily bag limit of one fish per person from state waters with a maximum of six fish per vessel. Limits for cobia were recently reduced in Atlantic waters north of the Florida border.
Meeting locations and dates are as follows (from 6-8 p.m. local time, except the webinar):
• Tallahassee – May 16 – LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library, 200 W. Park Ave.
• Pensacola – May 18 – Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Resource Center Parks & Recreation Department - 913 S. I St.
• Destin – May 22 – Destin Community Center - 101 Stahlman Ave.
• Panama City – May 23 – Gulf Coast State College, Enrollment Services Building, Room 124/The Gardner Room, 5230 W. U.S. Highway 98.
• Statewide webinar – May 24 (6-8 p.m. EDT) – Learn more about how to participate at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Rulemaking” and “Webinar Instructions.”
• St. Petersburg – May 25 – FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Karen A. Steidinger Auditorium - 100 Eighth Ave. SE.
Provide input on this important Gulf coast fishery by attending one of these public workshops. The FWC is also accepting public input on the status of the Atlantic coast cobia fishery and additional feedback opportunities may follow. Written comments on cobia and other topics can also be submitted at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments. For your online comments on cobia to be considered at the July 10-11 Commission meeting, submit them no later than June 15.
Learn more about these workshops at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Rulemaking” and “Public Workshops.”
