# 10 lionfish=1 extra spiney lobster APPROVED!



## Candy (Jan 6, 2008)

*Today was just a great example of how the idea of motivating divers is coming around. READ the FWC announcement below::thumbup:

Well fellow divers, it's a small step in the right direction! ECRA is still working on our 100 lionfish = 10 native fish plan. If you would like to help, there's still time to sign the petition. With your support, we can get it done.Go here:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions...-the-search-for-eradication-methods/sign.html
*
:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

*FFWCC Commission Vote Report- June 25, 2015 *

Suggested Tweet: Take 10 #lionfish, get an extra #lobster this summer, says @MyFWC! http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/10bd77f #Florida #SaltwaterFishing

*Take 10 lionfish, get an extra lobster during sport season and possibly take home a T-shirt*

At its June meeting in Sarasota, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a new and exciting opportunity that will encourage divers to remove invasive lionfish by allowing them to take one extra spiny lobster each day during the two-day sport season this summer (July 29-30) that they also harvest 10 lionfish.

In addition, people can take a photo of their lionfish and lobster catch during the two-day season and post it on Facebook.com/LionfishReefRangers to get a “Be the Predator” T-shirt. One lucky photo entrant will also win a lifetime saltwater fishing license via a drawing held shortly after the sport season.

“The FWC operates in a culture of innovation. Opportunities like this are a great way to get divers who are already in the water accustomed to removing lionfish,” said Commissioner Brian Yablonski. “Our hope is that once lobster divers realize how easy it is to remove lionfish, they will continue to do so throughout the regular lobster season and beyond.”
Lionfish are invasive species that have a potential negative impact on Florida’s native wildlife and habitat. With no predators or other mechanisms such as disease or parasites keeping the lionfish population under control in Florida at this time, harvest by divers is the primary means of lionfish removal.

For the 2015 spiny lobster sport season only, divers will be allowed a single spiny lobster over the bag limit per dayfor each day that they also harvest 10 or more lionfish. Lionfish must be kept as proof of harvest while on the water. When off the water, a photo of harvesters with their 10 lionfish must be kept to document eligibility for harvesting an extra lobster. Lionfish must be harvested the same day and prior to taking the additional lobster. All other rules, including no spearfishing zones, apply.

The two-day spiny lobster recreational sport season (also known as mini-season) falls on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July each year before the Aug. 6 opening of the regular season. During this two-day season, the regular bag limit is six spiny lobster in state and federal waters of Biscayne National Park waters and off Monroe County, and 12 spiny lobster elsewhere. There is no bag limit for lionfish; harvesters can take as many as they want.
If the program is successful at encouraging lionfish removal, it could be continued in future years.

For more information, visit www.MyFWC.com/Commission and select “Commission Meetings” then the “Agenda.” For information about recreational spiny lobster, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater,” “Recreational” and “Lobster.”

Help the FWC by reporting all lionfish catches and sightings via the Report Florida Lionfish app or at www.MyFWC.com/Lionfish.


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## TONER (Mar 25, 2008)

That's a great start Candy thanks for your efforts. I would love if they just do the same thing with 10 lionfish on board gets 1 extra fish of your choice.


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

I'm impressed Candy. Nice work.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

I was down to key west for a week. I dove the gulf and the atlantic shallow depths snorkling. In the past years I saw many lion fish. On this trip 3 weeks ago I never saw one lion fish not one. So something is happening to them. I will be in key west again for opening day of lobster aug 6th. Ill report what I see using scuba in deeper waters.


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## Candy (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks for this should be sent to Commissioner Yablonski at the FFWCC. He is the one who pushed it through the commission.

If everyone wants the proposal ECRA has before the commission that would reward divers with 10 native fish tags, good in or out of season, for every 100 lionfish heads turned in, they need to go here and sign the ECRA petition. 

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions...l-and-the-search-for-eradication-methods.html

If you own a business and want to have your business listed with a link to your site posted on ECRA's web homepage (www.ecreef.org) as a supporter of the proposal, contact me at [email protected] for details. There is absolutely NO Charge for this! 

You may also want to send a message of support for the ECRA proposal to [email protected] 

Click here to read an outline of how the ECRA proposal would work: http://www.ecreef.org/Documents/4.19.15 Proposal Hand-out Brochure Lionfish Tri Fold Brochure.pdf


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## Dive1 (May 16, 2015)

Good deal!


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