Florida Pompano, Permit, and African Pompano Review and Discussion e December 16, 2020 ~ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Version 1 This presentation provides a review and discussion of the management history of Florida pompano, permit, and African pompano as well as stakeholder requests for updates to management of these species. Staff is seeking Commission direction on moving forward with gathering stakeholder input on these species. Division: Marine Fisheries Management Authors: Derek Cox, Kali Spurgin, and Krista Shipley Contact Phone Number: (850) 487-0554 Report date: November 10, 2020 Unless otherwise noted, images throughout the presentation are by FWC. Photo courtesy of Trevor Beaman. Outline ■ Management history ■ Florida pompano, permit, African pompano □ Biology □ Current regulations □ Stakeholder requests ■ Summary This presentation on Florida pompano, permit, and African pompano will cover their history of management as a multi-species unit. For each species, staff will discuss their relevant biological characteristics along with a short description of the fishery, current regulations, unique management approaches, and stakeholder requests for management updates. The presentation will conclude with a recap of recent requests for management and staff recommendation for further stakeholder engagement. Management History ■ Managed as a multi-species unit 0 Members of the jack family 0 Similar appearance, especially when young 0 Often found together ■ Different fisheries and fishing cultures ■ Major regulations overhaul in 2011 ° FW C manages all species in federal waters Florida pompano, permit, and African pompano have traditionally been managed as a multi- species unit. The decision to group these species together was made for several reasons, primarily in an effort to simplify regulations and avoid confusion by anglers and law enforcement. All three of these fish belong to the jack family and can look very similar, especially when young. These fish are also often caught together in either the same areas or with the same gear, increasing the likelihood for misidentification. However closely these fish may resemble one another, the fisheries themselves are definitively unique and the fishing culture and history for each species vary drastically. Recognizing this, in 2011, FWC made significant regulation changes that modified the management approach to species-specific regulations as opposed to a multi- species unit. These regulations addressed the differences as well as similarities of each species. Since 2011, FWC has managed each of these species in federal waters. Florida Pompano • Found in warm waters, especially along sandy beaches, oyster bars, and over seagrass beds • Fast growing • Spawn offshore from March - Sept. Fishery • Shore, nearshore, and offshore components • Caught using many methods and enjoyed by a broad range of stakeholders • Popular fish for both recreational and commercial harvest Florida pompano are typically found in warm waters, especially along sandy beaches, oyster bars, and over seagrass beds. A fast-growing species, Florida pompano reach maturity by age one or two, around 11-14 inches, but can reach lengths of up to 24 inches and weigh up to eight pounds. Florida pompano typically spawn offshore in deeper waters from March through September and form a single stock throughout the state of Florida and continental United States. This fishery is accessible to a variety of saltwater anglers, with shore-based, nearshore, and offshore components. Florida pompano can be caught using many gear types and techniques, making them available to a broad range of stakeholders. These reasons, combined with being great table fare, make Florida pompano a popular target for both recreational and commercial harvest. Florida Pompano - Regulations Recreational • Allowable gear: hook-and-line, cast net, and beach or haul seine • Minimum size limit: 11 inches • Bag limit: 6 per person Commercial • Allowable gear: hook-and-line, cast net, and beach or haul seine • Slot limit: 11-20 inches • Trip limits 0 Directed: 250 fish 0 Bycatch: 100 fish • Special regulations inside Pompano Endorsement Zone (PEZ) with Pompano Endorsement (PE) This slide includes the current regulations for Florida pompano. Recreational anglers can harvest Florida pompano by hook-and-line, cast net, and beach or haul seine. The minimum size limit is 11 inches fork length with a bag limit of 6 per person. The season is open year-round. Commercial harvest is allowed with the same gear as the recreational sector, but with a slot limit of 11-20 inches. When using allowable gear types, commercial harvesters targeting Florida pompano can harvest up to 250 fish; however, there is also a 100 fish incidental bycatch limit when legally targeting other species with gillnets in federal waters. Special regulations for commercial harvest apply when inside the Pompano Endorsement Zone (PEZ) and with possession of a Pompano Endorsement (PE). FWC manages Florida pompano in both state and federal waters. Pompano Endorsement Zone (PEZ) Created in 2001 ■ Response to reports of illegal gillnetting in state waters ■ Only area verified to have a legal federal waters gill net fishery for pompano Regulations within PEZ ■ Must possess Pompano Endorsement (PE) ■ Gill nets allowed ■ No trip limit ■ Must land between Hurricane Pass and Cape Sable In early 2000, the Commission received reports of illegal gillnetting of Florida pompano in state waters. Since gill nets are an allowable gear in federal waters, illegal state waters harvest was difficult to distinguish from legal federal fisheries activities. In order to address this, FWC created the Pompano Endorsement Zone (PEZ), which is the only area in the state that had a legal, federal waters Florida pompano gill net fishery verified by observer ride-alongs. The Pompano Endorsement (PE) allows commercial fishermen to use gill and entangling nets to catch Florida pompano in federal waters, but only inside the Pompano Endorsement Zone, which does not include state waters. The zone boundaries are in southwest Florida, between Cape Sable and Hurricane Pass (25°09 and 26°00 North Latitude). PE holders may take an unlimited amount of Florida pompano in this zone and must land the fish between Hurricane Pass in Collier County and Cape Sable in Monroe County. A PE can not be held by any harvester who has been found to have violated the Net Limitation Amendment or associated gill net rules within the previous three license years. Florida Pompano - Stakeholder Request ■ Allow commercial catch from inside PEZ to be landed outside of PEZ boundaries Staff have received stakeholder requests to allow Florida pompano commercially harvested inside the PEZ to be landed outside of the PEZ latitudinal boundaries (Hurricane Pass through Cape Sable). Permit ■ Found offshore near structure, inshore over grass flats, sand, and in channels ■ Similar to Florida pompano when young, but can get much larger as adults ■ Spawn offshore from March - Aug. ■ Large spawning aggregations in southwest Florida and the Keys Fishery ■ Targeted for food and sport in most of the state ■ Largely trophy and catch and release in south ~- Florida and Keys ~ ; : Permit are often found offshore near structure, inshore over grass and sand flats, and in channels. These fish look and behave similarly to Florida pompano when young and are often caught in the same locations. However, as permit get older, they are more easily distinguishable and grow to be much larger, reaching up to four feet in length and 80 pounds. Permit reach maturity at two to three years of age, at around 20 inches, and can live to be over 20 years old. This species spawns offshore from March through August and is known to form large spawning aggregations in areas of southwest Florida and the Keys. Western Dry Rocks off Key West is one location where permit spawning aggregations have been documented. Although permit are targeted for both food and sport throughout most of the state, a unique fishery exists in south Florida and the Keys where permit are largely a trophy fish and more anglers practice catch and release than elsewhere in Florida. Special Permit Zone (SPZ) Created in 2011 ■ Includes state and federal waters Regulations within SPZ ■ Protect permit during PEZ spawning season ■ Preserve historic regional fishery Acknowledging the unique fishery of southwest Florida and the Keys, the Special Permit Zone (SPZ) was established in 2011. The SPZ includes both state and federal waters from Cape Sable on the Gulf coast, around the Keys, and up to Cape Florida on the Atlantic coast. Area-specific regulations within the SPZ are designed to protect permit aggregations during the spawning season as well as to help preserve the historic regional trophy fishery that exists here. Permit - Recreational Regulations Statewide allowable gear ■ State waters: hook-and-line ■ Federal waters: hook-and-line and spearing Outside SPZ ■ Slot limit: 11-22 inches ■ Bag limit: 2 per person with 0 1 over 22 inches per person 0 2 over 22 inches per vessel Inside SPZ ■ Minimum size limit: 22 inches ■ Bag/vessel limits: 1 per person, 2 per vessel ■ Seasonal closure: April - July FWC regulates in federal waters 11 Photo courtesy of Emily Hanzlik FWC manages permit in both state and federal waters, and recreational regulations vary depending on where anglers are fishing for the species. Within state waters permit can be harvested with hook-and-line only. Allowable gear in federal waters includes both hook-and- line and spearing. While fishing outside the Special Permit Zone (SPZ) in both state and federal waters, there exists a slot limit of 11-22 inches fork length for permit and the bag limit is two per person, with a maximum of one over 22 inches per person and no more than two over 22 inches per vessel. Within the SPZ, the minimum size limit is 22 inches rather than a slot limit and a more restrictive bag limit of one per person or maximum of two per vessel applies. A seasonal closure is also in place from April through July to help protect permit spawning aggregations.