Dates for lobster season 2006 will look the same as 2005.

A proposal to advance the start of general lobster season to July cannot be studied and enacted by this summer, state officials and fishing representatives agreed at a Marathon meeting last week.“There's no way it can happen this year,” said George Niles, a Summerland Key commercial fisherman. “It could not happen that fast with the federal government. “And we can't have a line out in the ocean with different dates” for state and federal water, said Niles, one of five commercial trappers on the Lobster Advisory Board to the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

In December, the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen Association asked that the start of lobster season, now Aug. 6, be moved up. The earlier date would let trappers fish for a few weeks before hurricane season hits its peak, the group said.

Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff looked at the date-change request and did not see a way for it to occur in 2006, said Bill Teehan, a state fishery biologist and lobster specialist. “With all the things that are involved with changing a season, from the biology to the socio-economics, it's not really possible for a season that's basically right around the corner,” Teehan said.

“We touched on about every phase of the lobster fishery, but everything is still in its preliminary stage,” Niles said. “We talked about it all, but nothing was decided. It's probably a two-year process.” Panel members were unanimous in wanting to keep a closed season of some type, but were open to considering a change in the current dates. “Lobster season used to open July 21,” Niles said.

Currently, the lobster sport season is held on two weekdays in late July, followed by the regular-season opening Aug. 6. The season closes March 31.

Read an update to this story, Still "No change in Lobster Season for 2006"

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