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Southwest Florida snook, redfish and spotted seatrout: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wants your input

Photos: Fish kills in Southwest Florida in summer 2018
Posted at 5:04 PM, Apr 22, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-22 17:32:45-04

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will be holding three virtual workshops to gather public input about the short-term management of snook, redfish and spotted seatrout in southwest Florida.

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Beginning in August 2018, the FWC made a series of temporary, precautionary regulation changes to help conserve snook, redfish and spotted seatrout following a prolonged red tide that occurred in late 2017 through early 2019. Ultimately, these popular inshore species were made catch-and-release only in all waters from Pasco County through Gordon Pass in Collier County through May 31, 2021.

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FWC staff want to know how these fisheries are doing and your ideas for how to manage these species immediately after May 31, when the temporary catch-and-release measures expire.

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These workshops will start at 6 p.m., EDT. Each webinar will be tailored to a specific area:

Charlotte Harbor area and south - April 5.Sarasota Bay area - April 6.Tampa Bay area and north - April 8.

To participate in these workshops, connect here at the time specified.