Saturday, January 1, 2011

South Florida spotted seatrout season opens Jan. 1


News Release From the FWC
December 28, 2010
Contact: Wendy Dial, 850-488-9477
         
          The recreational harvest season for spotted seatrout will open in southern Florida on Jan. 1.  Spotted seatrout harvest has been closed since Nov. 1 in this part of the state to help maintain an abundant fishery.
The reopened areas include Atlantic coast waters south of the Flagler-Volusia county line and Gulf coast waters south of a line running due west from the westernmost point of Fred Howard Park Causeway, which is 1.17 miles south of the Pinellas-Pasco county line.
The maximum daily bag limit for spotted seatrout in these areas is four fish per person.  In all other Florida waters north and west of these areas, the daily limit is five spotted seatrout per person.
The statewide slot limit for spotted seatrout is 15-20 inches total length, and anglers may keep one spotted seatrout larger than 20 inches as part of the daily bag limit.
Spotted seatrout may not be harvested by any multiple hooks with live or dead natural bait, and snagging or snatch-hooking spotted seatrout is not allowed.  Spotted seatrout may be taken only with hook-and-line gear and cast nets and must be landed in whole condition.
The harvest of spotted seatrout will close during the month of February in northeast and northwest Florida waters.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Large male bear found dead near Holt; FWC seeks shooter

News Release
December 22, 2010
Contact: Stan Kirkland, 850-265-3676, ext. 212 from FWC.com

        A large male bear was shot and killed Tuesday night and the carcass was discovered near Holt in Okaloosa County. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) law enforcement officers are asking the public's help in identifying the person or people involved.
FWC Officer Alan Kirchinger said a local resident found the 320-pound bear dead in the Guest Lake Boat Ramp parking lot just after sunrise today. The ramp and lake are south of Holt, just off the Yellow River and south of Interstate 10.
"It's obvious the bear was killed elsewhere, then transported to the boat ramp and dumped. We believe as many as three or four people may have been involved," Kirchinger said.
The bear had a previously injured left front leg and could be the same bear reported by Guest Lake residents for getting into residential garbage cans, Kirchinger said. FWC officers went door-to-door Wednesday afternoon in the area, handing out fliers about the shooting and asking for help.
It is a crime under Florida law to kill a black bear. The punishment can include up to five years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.
Anyone with information about the bear shooting is urged to contact the Wildlife Alert Reward Program hotline at 888-404-3922. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 if the information leads to an arrest.