The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has filed an Executive Order to waive the commercial stone crab trap tag requirements in Northeast and Southwest Florida for the remainder of the 2022-2023 license year.
This waiver is intended to help stone crabbers impacted by Hurricane Ian return to business as soon as possible, FWC officials said.
With immediate effect, commercial fishermen licensed to harvest stone crabs with traps are not required to affix trap tags to their traps in state and federal waters off St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, Volusia, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties.
This waiver extends through the end of the 2022-2023 commercial stone crab harvest season, including the 15-day post-season trap removal period.
“Hurricane Ian impacted a major portion of the Florida fishing community, and we will be with them every step of the way as they rebuild stronger than before,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “As we work with our partners and stakeholders to identify the needs of commercial fishers impacted by this powerful storm, we will continue to use all available resources to support them.”
FWC Executive Director Eric Sutton added that waiving the requirements will help fishermen get back on their feet and into the water as soon as possible.
