ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla – At its December meeting in St. Augustine, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved draft changes to shark fishing regulations, including management changes for the shore-based shark fishery.
These changes will increase survival of released sharks, improve information gathering of the fishery and address some of the public safety concerns related to the fishery.
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The draft rules will be brought back before the Commission for final approval in February and include:
- Creating a mandatory, no-cost, annual shore-based shark fishing permit.
- Prohibiting chumming when fishing for any species from the beach.
- Prohibiting delaying the release of prohibited shark species when fishing from the shore.
- Requiring that prohibited shark species remain in the water (when fishing from shore and from a vessel).
- Requiring the use of non-offset, non-stainless-steel circle hooks with live or dead natural bait (when fishing from shore and from a vessel).
- Requiring the possession/use of a device capable of quickly cutting the leader or hook (when fishing from shore or a vessel).
- Cleaning up and updating the current rule language.