FWC approves changes to recreational crabbing rules

 If you like to harvest blue crabs recreationally, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a few rule changes last week that will affect you.
The FWC approved a rule this week creating a mandatory, no-cost annual recreational blue crab and stone crab trap registration.
That registration will be required for trap fishers age 16 and older.
Recreational crab traps will also be required to carry an FWC-designated trap identification number to be placed on recreational traps.
The requirements will take effect on October 1st, 2019 for the stone crab fishery and January 1^st, 2020 for the blue crab fishery.
There were also a few other changes.
New rules approved this week require commercial stone crab fishers to maintain an active saltwater products license, restricted species endorsement, and stone crab endorsement to retain their stone crab trap allotment
A rule was also approved increasing the time allowed for commercial lobster fishers to remove spiny lobster traps from the water after the season ends from five days to 10 days.






http://live.oysterradio.com/