FWC approves rules to protect bonefish

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved rules to protect bonefish, a popular sportfish in the southern part of the state.

The FWC approved new rules on Wednesday that allow only catch-and-release fishing for bonefish and does away with the existing one fish per day bag limit.

The new rules also allow fishermen to temporarily possess a bonefish where it is caught, so they can photograph and measure or weigh the fish before releasing it. 

The new rules take effect on July the 1^st.

South Florida is one of the few places in the United States where you can fish for bonefish; the Florida Keys and Biscayne Bay are considered a world-class destination for catching large, trophy-sized bonefish. 

A recent study by scientists at the University of Miami estimated the value of a single bonefish in the Florida Keys to be $3,500 each year, and nearly $75,000 over the lifespan of the fish.

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