[Coral-List] 2. Proposed Killing of Goliath Grouper (Sarah Frias-Torres)

[David Blakeway]

Here's the meeting agenda item below (from Sarah's link). It's all about
allowing fishing. Judging by the wording of their agenda item, FWCC
supports the proposal. I am guessing Florida's recreational fishing lobby
is politically powerful, and FWCC is throwing them a bone.
Note the great phrasing! e.g. "The proposed limited harvest would allow
users additional access opportunities to this species", which I believe
translates to "The proposed limited harvest would allow fishers to kill
this species"
Aside: FWCC is an acronym for the Florida Fish & Wildlife *CONSERVATION *
Commission

Item Requiring Action – Draft Rule – Goliath Grouper
Staff will present a draft rule proposal for a limited, highly regulated
harvest of goliath grouper. This proposal includes a special opportunity
for harvest through a lottery draw, while enacting area and seasonal
closures, size and gear restrictions, and post-harvest requirements. The
proposed limited harvest would allow users additional access opportunities
to this species and provide researchers with needed biological data, while
allowing the population to continue to rebuild and excluding harvest from
areas of heavy dive ecotourism. *Public comment on this agenda item will be
limited to no more than 2 hours.*