Florida Marine Fisheries Seeks Angler Input, Steinhatchee, July 20, 2015

Do you have ideas about how Florida’s marine fisheries should be managed?

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wants to hear from you. Whether you are a seafood aficionado who wants priority placed on getting fish to the dinner plate, a recreational fisher who prefers to catch and release or a commercial fisher whose catch is destined for restaurants and homes around the state and beyond, the FWC wants to know what marine fisheries issues concerned you. This is your chance to let the FWC know what it is doing right, where you see opportunities for improvement, and what you think should be the state’s top priorities for marine fisheries management. To gather this input and develop a better understanding of the public’s views on marine fisheries, the FWC will host a workshop in Steinhatchee on July 20.   The public is invited. Groups that might be interested in participating include commercial and recreational fishers, wholesale dealers, those in the tourism industry, fishing guides, divers and concerned citizens. At the meeting, staff will provide a brief presentation about statewide and regional fisheries management issues that are being worked on and other potential issues that have been brought to our attention. Then it will be your turn to fill in any gaps and let us know where you think the FWC should focus its efforts in the coming years. The workshops is from 6 to 8 p.m. local time.