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Catch a Florida Memory with 11-year-old Tristan

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2.13.2017 Tristan-Hill-LL-YlwTailSnap

11-year-old Tristan Hill with his catch of a yellowtail snapper.

Bucket list: That’s what 11-year-old Tristan Hill calls the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Saltwater Fish Life List. His goal is to catch all 71 species and he is already off to a great start.
Last fall, Tristan submitted photos of himself with 10 of the species on the list, allowing him to join the first tier of the Saltwater Fish Life List Club rewards program. He received a T-shirt and certificate for his efforts.
For Tristan though, participating is about more than earning prizes and recognition. Participation is about conservation and encouraging ethical angling by challenging fishers to target a diverse array of fish species.
“I hate seeing fish wasted. When I saw my first fish, it was gorgeous and my mind was blown,” said Tristan. “I don’t think I can give up on that. I think it would be amazing to catch all of them with my family.”
Tristan caught his first fish when he was 2 ½ years old in Fairbanks, Alaska. Living in Colorado at the time, his father, Josh, noticed that when Tristan wasn’t fishing, he just wasn’t happy. So Josh took matters into his own hands and began looking for a job near the water. The family of four, including Tristan’s little sister, moved to the Florida Keys in June 2016, purchased a boat and Josh began working at Lower Keys Tackle in an effort to learn more about the sport his son had taken such an interest in. Shortly afterward, they found out about the FWC’s Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs via Facebook.
“Tristan has a love and respect for fish, and is very passionate about them,” said his father, Josh. “He is the real deal. He is a master of fishing.”
Today, they fish every chance they get, and Tristan continues to mark fish off his list.
“It is way more fun than video games, and it is free food right off the water,” Tristan said.
So far, he has caught a bonnethead shark; blue runner; black grouper; white grunt; cero; great barracuda; and a gray, lane, yellowtail and mutton snapper. Since his first 10-fish submission to the Life List, he has also caught a tarpon and a reef shark.
Tristan hopes you will join him in participating in not only the Life List, but also the FWC’s two other Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs: Saltwater Reel Big Fish, which celebrates memorable-sized catches, and Saltwater Grand Slams, which award anglers for catching three different specified fish species within a 24-hour period.
You can keep track of Tristan’s pursuits on his Facebook page or at the Catch a Florida Memory Facebook page, Facebook.com/CatchaFLMemory.
For More Information
Participate today by visiting CatchaFloridaMemory.com. Anglers do not have to harvest their fish to be eligible for prizes and are encouraged to use proper fish handling techniques when practicing catch-and-release. For more information or if you are interested in becoming a partner, email [email protected] or call 850-487-0554.
 

2017 bay scallop season in Dixie and Taylor counties set

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The 2017 bay scallop season for Dixie County and parts of Taylor County will be open from June 16 through Sept. 10. This includes all state waters from the Suwannee River through the Fenholloway River. These changes are for 2017 only and are an opportunity to explore regionally-specific bay scallop seasons.
These changes were discussed at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meeting on Feb. 8, where staff was directed to work with local community leaders on selecting potential 2017 season dates and to adopt changes by executive order.
At the Feb. 8 meeting, staff also updated the Commission on the status of bay scallops in St. Joseph Bay in Gulf County, and set a July 25 through Sept. 10 recreational bay scallop season off Gulf County, including all waters in St. Joseph Bay and those west of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County, through the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County.
A prolonged red tide event in late 2015 negatively impacted the scallop population in St. Joseph Bay, which led to modified local scallop regulations for 2016 that included a shortened season and reduced bag limits. FWC researchers conducted a scallop restoration project last year within St. Joseph Bay to help speed the recovery of the scallop population. These efforts have been going well and the scallop population has shown signs of improvement. Staff will conduct similar restoration efforts in 2017.
All other portions of the bay scallop harvest zone will be open from July 1 through Sept. 24. This includes all state waters from the Pasco-Hernando county line to the Suwannee River Alligator Pass Daybeacon 4 in Levy County and from north and west of Rock Island near the mouth of the Fenholloway River in Taylor County through the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County.
Bag and vessel limits throughout the entire bay scallop harvest zone will be 2 gallons whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat per person, with a maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat per vessel.
At the December 2017 Commission meeting, staff will review public feedback on these changes and make a recommendation for future management. To submit your feedback on bay scallop regulations, visit MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.
For more information on these changes, visit MyFWC.com/Commission and select “Commission Meetings,” then click on the link below “Next Meeting.”
For information on bay scallop regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Bay Scallops.”

FWC approves spiny lobster commercial bully net fishery changes

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At its February meeting in Crystal River, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved several changes to the spiny lobster bully net fishery, including directing staff to launch a “Respectful Bully Netting” outreach campaign.
The FWC has received input from stakeholders about the increasing participation in the commercial bully net lobster fishery, and these changes will help address some of those concerns.
Changes to the commercial fishery effective May 1 will include:

  • Creating an open-access commercial bully net lobster endorsement available to commercial fishers who hold a crawfish endorsement.
  • Requiring commercial bully net vessels be marked with the harvester’s bully net endorsement number using reflective paint or other reflective material.
  • Prohibiting trap pullers on commercial bully net vessels.
  • Prohibiting the simultaneous possession of a bully net and any underwater breathing apparatus (not including dive masks or snorkels) aboard a vessel used to harvest or transport lobster for commercial purposes.
  • Updating the definition of “commercial harvester” to include the bully net endorsement.

For information on commercial spiny lobster fishery regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Commercial” and “Lobster.”
For more information on the presentation given to the Commission, visit MyFWC.com/Commission and select “Commission Meetings,” then click on the link below “Next Meeting.”

Florida scrub-jays will be in the spotlight at Feb. 18 festival

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Picture a light gray-brown bird with a bright blue head, wings and tail. That’s how you can recognize the Florida scrub-jay, the only bird that lives nowhere else but in Florida.
Come celebrate this songbird at the 8th annual Florida Scrub-Jay Festival on Saturday, Feb. 18, at Jonathan Dickinson State Park, about 12 miles south of Stuart on U.S. 1.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the festival will offer guided walks, exhibits, swamp buggy and hay rides, kids’ activities, entertainment and food. There will be an opportunity to meet Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) staff and partners that are helping conserve this threatened species. The FWC is one of the festival’s organizers.
The Florida scrub-jay is distinctive because of its unusually cooperative family lifestyle.
“The Florida scrub-jay lives in family groups composed of a breeding pair that mates for life and its offspring. Young scrub-jays often stay with their parents for one or more years and act as helpers to defend the family’s territory and raise young. Breeding pairs with helpers successfully raise more young than lone pairs,” said Craig Faulhaber, the FWC’s avian conservation coordinator.
“Because Florida scrub-jays are very territorial and don’t migrate, people may get the chance to watch events in the life of a scrub-jay family throughout the year. Family members work together to defend territories averaging 25 acres from other scrub-jay families, with at least one member always on the lookout for predators,” said Faulhaber.
The Florida scrub-jay is one of the many wildlife species you may spot at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. It needs sandy scrub habitat to survive, but its populations have been impacted by habitat loss, agriculture and the lack of natural or prescribed fire to maintain vegetation height and sandy openings on scrub lands. Scrub-jay populations are thought to have declined by as much as 90 percent since the late 1800s.
What is its call like? More like a screech than a song, since it is related to species like the crow.Hear the sound of a Florida scrub-jay by going to AllAboutBirds.org and searching for Florida scrub-jay.
People can help Florida scrub-jays by:

Find out more about Florida scrub-jays by going to MyFWC.com/Imperiled, clicking on “Listed Species,” “Birds” and then “Florida scrub-jay.”
 

Fishing line and tackle disposal – It’s about more than just monofilament

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“Gone Coastal” column
By Jill Christopherson

Fishing is a key component of the Florida lifestyle as well as the state’s economy. But fishing line and other fishing tackle frequently enter Florida’s aquatic systems as a result of incidental snags or improper disposal. When left in the aquatic environment, fishing line and tackle create potential traps for unsuspecting wildlife that can become entangled and snared, leading to injury and death.GoneCoastalLogo1
Monofilament is the most common type of fishing line, however, modern advances have produced several other varieties with higher tensile strength, reduced visibility and greater abrasion resistance. These newer, non-monofilament lines, such as braid and fluorocarbon, are fairly popular but not all of them can be recycled like monofilament fishing line, and they are commonly disposed of improperly.
How you can help
To help reduce the negative environmental impacts from improper disposal of all fishing line and tackle, anglers can follow these general guidelines:

  • Check line frequently for frays that may break easily.
  • Don’t leave bait unattended since pelicans, herons and other birds may attempt to take the bait from the line, which may result in entanglements.
  • Cast away from trees, utility lines, wildlife and areas where line may get caught.
  • If you see improperly discarded fishing line while you are out, pick it up and stow it to be disposed of later.

Anglers can purchase or make their own fishing line storage bins to keep with them while they are fishing so that line can be stored securely and out of the way. Products such as the Monomaster and Line Snatcher are designed to help anglers store their unwanted fishing line; however, homemade versions can also be made by cutting an “X” in the lid of something as simple as a tennis ball container or coffee can.
Monofilament recycling
Once on shore, monofilament and fluorocarbon line can be recycled in designated bins found at most boat ramps, piers and tackle shops. However, anglers should not use these bins to discard any other type of fishing line or leader material such as braid or wire. Also, the bins should not be used to discard any type of tackle, such as hooks, lures or soft plastics, which can injure other anglers discarding their fishing line or the individuals who empty the bins for recycling.
You can learn how to make your own monofilament recycling bin by visiting our FWC Saltwater Fishing YouTube channel or by participating in the statewide Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program. For more information on the statewide Monofilament Recovery & Recycling Program, visit MRRP.MyFWC.com.
Disposing of non-monofilament
In addition to properly securing and recycling monofilament and fluorocarbon line, it is important to ensure that non-monofilament line and other tackle are disposed of appropriately. To discard non-monofilament line, such as braid or wire, cut the line into 12-inch or smaller pieces and place into a covered trash receptacle. Line placed in trash receptacles without lids can blow out into the environment or entangle wildlife that are foraging in the open trash receptacle.
When disposing of other tackle, such as hooks and lures, it is important to clip off sharp points to avoid injuring humans and wildlife that may come in contact with the discarded tackle. As part of the “Pitch It” campaign, soft plastic baits with the hook or jig head removed can be discarded in special program containers that are separate from monofilament recycling bins. Learn more about soft bait disposal and the “Pitch It” campaign by visiting Pledgetopitchit.org.
Remember, disposing of fishing line and tackle appropriately can reduce the risk of wildlife entanglement and help protect coastal habitats. To learn more about bird entanglement and how to unhook a bird, visit MyFWC.com/Unhook. To report entanglement of protected species, such as manatees and marine turtles, call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 (FWCC) or dial *FWC on a cellphone.
Have a burning question about marine fisheries regulations? Want to know more about catch-and-release? We are here for you. Send your questions, photos and fishing tales to [email protected]. Make sure your photo meets our photo requirements by visiting MyFWC.com/Fishing and clicking on “Saltwater Fishing” and “Submit a photograph” under “Get Involved.” Don’t forget to record all of your catches on the iAngler phone app or at Snookfoundation.org. And learn how to submit your catches and get rewarded through our Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs at CatchaFloridaMemory.com.

Outta’ the Woods: Zone D's late muzzleloader season extends deer hunting opportunity through February

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Plus, don’t miss Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days

February “Outta’ the Woods”
By Tony Young

“What I love most about using a muzzleloader is the extra challenge it provides – you only get one shot and you better make it count,” said Howard Tiller, retired high school teacher and Chipley, Florida, native. “The late muzzleloading season gives us Zone D hunters more opportunities to hunt deer while the rut is still going on after general gun season ends. Plus, there are fewer hunters in the woods during that time, which means less pressure.” 

Tony Young
Tony Young

Tiller, who was introduced to hunting by his father at a young age, said he never misses hunting Zone D’s late muzzleloading gun season. The season, which only occurs in Zone D, extends deer hunting by a week after general gun ends and runs Feb. 20-26 on private lands. It was established to give hunters the chance to hunt the rut, which runs from mid-January through February in northwest Florida.
A $5 muzzleloading gun permit is required to hunt during this season. On private land, hunters have the choice of using a muzzleloader, bow or crossbow. Of course, they’ll also need a hunting license, which costs residents $17 for an annual one – or folks might opt to purchase the five-year license for only $79.
In Zone D wildlife management areas, this post-season is referred to as the archery/muzzleloading gun season. Specific dates vary by WMA, so consult each area’s brochure. Hunters can use bows or muzzleloaders, but no crossbows – unless they possess a disabled crossbow permit. Hunters who choose to hunt with a bow must have the $5 archery permit, and those using a muzzleloader need the $5 muzzleloading gun permit.

Legal to take; bag limits

Deer and wild hogs are most commonly hunted during this season. Only legal bucks may be taken (even if you use a bow), and south of Interstate 10 in Deer Management Unit D1, one antler must have at least two points. North of I-10 in DMU D2, all bucks must have at least three points on a side or have a main beam of at least 10 inches long to be legal to take.
If you’re hunting deer, make sure you have the $5 deer permit. On private land, the daily bag limit is two. Season dates, bag limits and antler regulations for deer on WMAs can differ, so consult the area brochure before you hunt.
On private lands, wild hogs can be taken year-round with no bag or size limits. On most WMAs, there’s also no bag or size limit, and hogs are legal to take during most hunting seasons except spring turkey. On selected WMAs, specific bag and size limits do apply, so again, check the area’s brochure to make sure.

Hunting regulations

During the late muzzleloader season on private lands and archery/muzzleloading gun season on WMAs, dogs may not be used to hunt deer. However, you may use a leashed one to track a wounded deer if necessary. And it’s important to note that no turkeys may be taken during this season.
Bows and crossbows must have minimum draw weights of 35 pounds. Hand-held releases on bows are permitted. Broadheads used in taking deer must have at least two sharpened edges with a minimum width of 7/8 inch.
During this late season, the only muzzleloaders allowed are those fired by wheel lock, flintlock, percussion cap or centerfire primer (including 209 primers) that cannot be loaded from the breech. For hunting deer, muzzleloading rifles must be at least .40-caliber, and muzzleloading shotguns must be 20-gauge or larger.
Legal shooting hours are between a half-hour before sunrise and a half-hour after sunset. You’re allowed to take deer and hogs over feeding stations on private land, but it is illegal to use such feed on WMAs.

Public hunting opportunity

Twelve of the WMAs in Zone D have a February archery/muzzleloading gun season, and if you plan to hunt any of them, you must have the $26 management area permit. Those areas are Apalachicola, Apalachicola River, Beaverdam Creek, Blackwater, Chipola River, Choctawhatchee River, Econfina Creek, Escambia River, Perdido River, Point Washington, Tate’s Hell and Yellow River.
You can get all of the licenses and permits you’ll need at any retail outlet that sells hunting and fishing supplies, by calling 888-HUNT-FLORIDA or by going online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days

To all parents out there: the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has established Feb. 4-5 as this year’s statewide Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days. This weekend is specifically set up for children 15 and younger to hunt waterfowl, coots and common moorhens while being supervised by an adult (18 years or older). Only the kids may hunt; adults may only assist. Because only children 15 and younger may hunt during these two days, no licenses or permits are needed, including federal duck stamps. And if you’re not a duck hunter but your child is showing an interest in trying it, the FWC has brand new online information to assist new hunters – just visit MyFWC.com/NewHunter.
The FWC also has managed hunts at T.M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area, STA 1W and Guana River WMA. These fun, family-oriented events include raffles, free food and great waterfowl hunting. No children are turned away from the hunts, so a quota permit is not necessary. For more information on the Guana River hunt, call 904-825-6877. For more information on the T.M. Goodwin and STA 1W hunts, call 321-726-2862.

Bag limits

The daily bag limit on ducks is six, but within the six-bird limit there can be only one black duck, one mottled duck and one fulvous whistling duck. Two can be canvasbacks, pintails, redheads or scaup, and three may be wood ducks. And you may have no more than four scoters, four eiders, four long-tailed ducks and four mallards (of which only two can be female) in your bag. All other species of ducks can be taken, up to the six-bird limit, except harlequin ducks. The taking of harlequin ducks is against the law.
The daily limit on coots and common moorhens is 15, and there’s a five-bird limit on mergansers, only two of which may be hooded.
Youngsters also may take light geese during Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days. This includes snow, blue and Ross’s geese; and there’s a 15-bird daily bag limit on any combination. Canada geese may be taken as well, and the daily bag limit on them is five.

Waterfowl regulations

Shotguns are the only firearms that kids are allowed to use, and they’re not permitted to use one larger than 10-gauge. Shotguns must be plugged to a three-shell capacity (magazine and chamber combined). Though not practical for duck hunting, bows and crossbows may also be used if your child is so inclined.
Shooting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to sunset, and waterfowl hunters may use only nontoxic shotgun shells. Only iron (steel), bismuth-tin and various shot made from tungsten-alloy are permissible.
Retriever dogs, such as labs, may be used. Artificial decoys and manual or mouth-operated bird calls are not only legal but essential gear for duck hunters.

Prohibited methods of take

Scattering agricultural products over an area for the purpose of baiting is strictly forbidden. Feed, such as corn, wheat or salt, cannot be present where you’re hunting, nor can such baiting be used to attract birds, even if the bait is placed quite a distance away from where you’re hunting.
Some other things you can’t do while hunting waterfowl include using rifles, pistols, traps, snares, nets, sinkboxes, swivel guns, punt guns, battery guns, machine guns, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explosive substances, live decoys, recorded bird calls or sounds and electrically amplified bird-call imitations. Shooting from an automobile or boat while under power is not illegal and herding or driving birds with vehicles or vessels also is against the law.
The 2016-2017 hunting seasons are winding down, however, there are still great opportunities to get out there. This February, take time to enjoy the solitude of a late season Zone D muzzleloader hunt or introduce a young person to duck hunting during the statewide Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days.