The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is moving forward on a draft rule to suspend the harvest and possession of shoal bass in the Chipola River and its tributaries

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is moving forward on a draft rule to suspend the harvest and possession of shoal bass in the Chipola River and its tributaries.

This draft rule would replace an executive order issued in June, when population sampling showed the shoal bass population had been damaged by Hurricane Michael.

The proposed rule will allow catch-and-release only.

The Chipola River in the Panhandle contains the only known reproducing population of shoal bass in the state.

The Chipola River flows south from Marianna for 90 miles through Jackson, Calhoun and Gulf counties.

FWC staff will work to improve habitat conditions on the Chipola River, and have also collected shoal bass and transported them to the Blackwater Hatchery for potential restocking purposes.

As the shoal bass population recovers, FWC staff will reevaluate the rule change to determine if catch-and-release is necessary.

Staff propose to return in two years to update the Commission and review the rule.

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