A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) stock assessment of spotted seatrout indicates that the management goal for this popular near-shore fishery is being met. The FWC reviewed the assessment during its public meeting Thursday in Key Largo. The spotted seatrout assessment found that FWC’s management objective of a 35-percent spawning potential ratio (SPR) is being exceeded in all four regions of the state. SPR is the ratio of the egg production of mature fish in a fished population to the egg production that would exist if the population was not fished.

The stock assessment examines spotted seatrout in four geographical areas in the state. Current SPR levels on Florida’s Gulf coast are 38 percent in the northwest region and 44 percent in the southwest region. On the state’s Atlantic coast, current SPR levels are 62 percent in the northeast region and 51 percent in the southeast region.

However, the number of directed trips for spotted seatrout has increased since 1996 in all regions. Consequently, even though the management goal for spotted seatrout is now being met, the FWC intends to carefully monitor fishing effort for further increases that could put pressure on the stocks. The FWC will also form a work group to review the recent assessment results and consider whether management changes are warranted. The next assessment for spotted seatrout is due in 2009.

Two management regions have been established to manage the recreational harvest of spotted seatrout. The North region includes state waters on Florida’s Gulf coast north and west of a line near the Pinellas/Pasco counties border near Fred Howard County Park in Pinellas County and on the Atlantic coast north of the Volusia/Flagler counties border. The South region includes all other state waters.

A slot limit of 15-20 inches total length applies for recreationally harvested spotted seatrout statewide. The daily recreational bag limit is currently five fish per person in the North region and four per person in the South region, with an allowance of one fish to be larger than the maximum size of 20 inches total length.

All spotted seatrout harvest is prohibited in February in the North region and during November and December in the South region. These closed seasons protect seatrout during winter cold spells when they are particularly susceptible to harvest.

Hook-and-line and cast nets are the only allowable fishing gear for all spotted seatrout harvest. The harvest of any spotted seatrout with the use of any multiple-hook gear in conjunction with natural bait is prohibited, and snagging or snatch-hooking of spotted seatrout is also illegal.

A review of the spotted seatrout stock assessment is available online at MyFWC.com/commission/2006/Dec/Presentations/revised_seatrout_RD_Dec06_Final.pdf.


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