CCA Florida Launches STAR Tournament Lucky member wins

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T H E P U B L I C AT I O N D E D I C AT E D TO C O N S E R V I N G A N D P R OT E C T I N G F LO R I D A ’ S M A R I N E R E S O U R C E S
CCA Florida Launches
STAR Tournament
Supreme
Court
Upholds
Net Ban
Lucky member wins
Pathfinder Boat
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 1
contents
starting point
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By Paul Giordano,
Vice Chairman, CCA Florida
Welcome to a new age for CCA Florida! As you will see
throughout this issue, CCA Florida is launching the CCA Florida STAR Tournament. The tournament kicks off Memorial Day
weekend and continues all summer long until Labor Day. Tournament anglers will primarily be targeting 80 specially tagged
STAR redfish. The first 6 tournament-registered anglers to
catch one of these fish will win great prizes like a Contender 22
Center Console, a Pathfinder 2200 TRS or a Hell’s Bay Waterman! All packages include custom trailers and Yamaha power!
In addition to the tagged redfish division, the STAR tournament will also feature a photo contest in other divisions including snook, trout, sheepshead and cobia! All of these elements
will be handled through the new STAR app, which was developed in cooperation with the Snook and Gamefish Foundation.
Not only will the app help anglers submit their catch for the
tournament, but it will also be used by scientists to help establish possibly the largest record of recreational fishing data ever!
The real beauty of STAR is that the tournament will be a
vehicle to raise awareness of CCA and will encourage families
to get out on the water and enjoy the marine resources we all
fight so hard to protect. The tournament is structured to return all proceeds back to the tournament in the form of prizes,
advertising and promotion. The result will be the largest single
media campaign that CCA Florida has ever experienced! After the tournament runs, we should no longer have to answer,
“What is CCA?” every time we talk to a potential member or
sponsor.
Partnering with the best names in the fishing industry will
further help establish CCA Florida as the type of organization
anyone should be proud to join. The list of sponsors is truly a
“Who’s Who” of fishing in Florida including: Contender Boats,
Maverick Boat Company, Hell’s Bay Boatworks, Engel Coolers, Marathon Petroleum, Florida Sportsman, Costa Sunglasses,
Papa’s Pilar Rum, Finlandia Vodka, the Florida Insider Fishing Report, Flats Class TV and many more.
While the first year of STAR will be west coast only, it is
critical that we get as many people registered as possible. Even
the most die-hard east coast anglers should fish the west coast
often enough to justify the $30 entry fee when the possible return is a $50,000 boat, motor and trailer package! If you already
fish the west coast primarily, there is no reason to not enter!
You don’t want to be THAT person - you know, the one who
catches the STAR-tagged fish but did not enter the tournament,
which is exactly what happened last year in Louisiana.
So sign up today! Registration is open at CCAFLSTAR.com.
Sign your family up, and tell your friends to sign up, too! Let’s
make this STAR tournament a huge success for CCA and the
fish!
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T H E P U B L I C AT I O N D E D I C AT E D TO C O N S E R V I N G A N D P R OT E C T I N G F LO R I D A ’ S M A R I N E R E S O U R C E S
The first year
of STAR
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2015
Supreme Court
Upholds Net Ban
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CCA Florida Launches
S T A R To u r n a m e n t
Lucky member wins
Pathfinder Boat
de par t me nt s
top comments................................... 3
conservation focus.............................. 4
CCA banquet schedule......................... 5
around the state.............................. 10
habitat horizon................................ 18
FWC law enforcement update.............. 26
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
Editorial/business inquiries
and information requests:
Dan Askin, P.O. Box 568886,
Orlando, Florida, 32856-8886
407-854-7002
POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to CCA Florida, P.O.
Box 568886, Orlando, Florida,
32856-8886 407-854-7002
ccaflorida.org
Managing
Editor
Dan Askin
Editor
Ted Forsgren
Copy Editor
Melissa J. Smith
Creative
Director
Debbie Dewell
Great Minds, Inc.
850-386-7401
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Tallahassee
CCA FLORIDA
STAFF
Brian Gorski
Executive Director
Dan Askin
Chief Operating Officer
Trip Aukeman
Director of Advocacy
Ted Forsgren
Special Advisor - Advocacy
Adam Miller
Senior Regional Director
Matt Behm
Regional Director
Caitlin Mitchell
Regional Director
Nick Pectol
Regional Director
Zach Batley
Regional Director
Chris Bozas
Assistant Regional Director
Amy Kuehnert
Assistant Regional Director
Miriam Askin
Event Coordinator
Leiza Fitzgerald
STAR Tournament Director
Karen Hood
Accountant
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 It’s all about STAR!
After many months of planning, CCA Florida will launch its first ever STAR fishing
tournament this year. The tournament begins the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend,
May 23, and ends Labor Day, September 7. The format is designed to be family-friendly
and otherwise inclusive to all aspects of Florida’s recreational fishing community. STAR
has a very reasonable $60 entry fee for anglers ages 18 and up, which includes a CCA
Membership. Existing CCA members pay only $30 to enter, and the tournament is
otherwise free to current New Tide members, which is CCA’s youth membership
category, for ages 6 to 17. To qualify for prizes, all entrants CCA memberships must
be active all tournament days.
“We have modeled our rules and format after CCA
Texas and CCA Louisiana, but have tweaked them to
a certain degree to adapt to Florida’s unique fisheries
and CCA’s conservation heritage,” STAR Director Leiza
Fitzgerald said. “Our partners in Texas and Louisiana
have been running STAR tournaments for 25 years with
great success.” Fitzgerald was particularly excited about
STAR’s featured tagged redfish division. “With the help
of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, we will be
tagging and releasing over 80 redfish in Florida waters in
advance of the tournament. STAR-registered anglers are
eligible for fantastic prizes should they catch a STAR-tagged
redfish during the tournament dates.” Top prizes for any recaptured tagged redfish are
attention-getting indeed, and include a Contender center console, a Pathfinder bay boat and
a Hells Bay technical poling skiff. Each boat package includes a premium trailer and a Yamaha
outboard. “I’m not sure any other tournament in Florida can boast these kinds of quality
prizes,” Leiza added.
In addition to the tagged redfish division, the format includes an open division, a ladies division, a kayak division, a fly division and a Marathon Petroleum conservation division, all with
other incredible awards. The conservation division will help FWC marine biologists gather
vital recreational catch data and will ultimately assist them with ongoing fisheries management
issues. The tournament also features a youth division, which includes up to $100,000 in scholarship awards for New Tide members. In its first year, tournament boundaries will include state
of Florida waters, extending from the Florida/Alabama border all the way south to the waters
of Everglades National Park. The STAR committee plans on expanding fishing boundaries to
include all state waters in future tournament years.
On behalf of CCA Florida, I would like to thank the many sponsors who are making the
STAR tournament a reality in Florida. Without them, the tournament would never get off the
ground. CCA also acknowledges its strategic partnership with FWC and its commissioners
in STAR’s first year. Gratitude also goes to the STAR tournament committee members, who
have invested a great deal of their free time to organize a family-oriented event for Florida’s
recreational anglers. Specifically, I offer heartfelt appreciation to past CCA Florida Chairman
Jim Williams, who dedicated countless hours to make STAR a reality. Thanks, Jim.
Look for more information on STAR in the coming weeks, and you can read more
about the tournament in this edition of Sea Watch. For tournament rules and details on how
to register, visit STAR’s website at ccaflstar.com. You can also make friends with CCA STAR
on Facebook.
I encourage you to join the fun by registering for the first-ever STAR tournament in
Florida. You might even make history and win some great prizes in the process.
top comments
SeaWatch is published three
times a year by CCA Florida,
a nonprofit state affiliate of
the Coastal Conservation
Association.
By Bill Camp
Chairman, CCA Florida
Advertise Today! 407-854-7002
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nservation focus conservation focus conservatio
Supreme Court Upholds Florida’s Net Ban
Gillnetters seeking to overturn
constitutional amendment denied.
Again.
tor Brian Gorski. “They did a fantastic job to ensure that our state
remains the Sportfishing Capital of the World. This is a great day for
anglers and another reminder that CCA Florida can never let its
guard down as the advocate for our marine resources.”
On February 12, the Florida Supreme Court denied a petition
by the Wakulla Commercial Fishermen’s Association and upheld the
state’s net ban amendment, which was approved by 72 percent of
voters in 1994.The ruling puts an end to the latest challenge brought
by gillnetters, who won a sympathetic circuit court ruling in 2013
that allowed them to briefly reintroduce destructive gill nets into
Florida waters.The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, with the support of CCA Florida, challenged that initial court
ruling immediately and has worked tirelessly ever since to defend
the net ban to the state’s highest court.
“The Constitutional Amendment that has protected Florida’s marine fisheries for more than 20 years is safe and intact once again,” Bill
Camp, CCA Florida Chairman, said.“We are grateful to the FWC for its
efforts to reverse a wayward court ruling that threatened to turn the
clock back to the dark days of gillnetting in our state waters. We have
been down this road many times, and there is no doubt the gillnetters
will try again, but CCA stands ready to protect our fisheries and to
make sure gill nets remain a part of Florida’s past, not our future.”
The 1994 net ban amendment has been credited with bringing
about a dramatic improvement in bait and forage fish populations,
along with a powerful recovery in red drum, speckled trout, snook
and other species that provide the foundation for a billion-dollar
recreational industry. Florida’s constitutional amendment has been
the subject of constant legal challenges from disgruntled industrial
harvesters seeking to undo all that has been achieved.
“The FWC, Attorney General Pam Bondi and especially Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Glogau all deserve the respect
and gratitude of anglers, not just in Florida but all over the country,
for their efforts on this case,” said CCA Florida Executive Direc-
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S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
on focus conservation focus co
Gulf Council Members Urge Commerce
Secretary to reject Amendment 40
Minority report highlights
flaws in sector separation
amendment Eight representatives of the Gulf of
Mexico Fishery Management Council have
submitted a minority report to the National Marine Fisheries Service that lays out
an extensive series of objections to a highly
controversial management plan for Gulf
red snapper. The report focuses on significant shortcomings in the development and
presentation of Amendment 40, a measure
that will reserve a significant percentage of
the recreational red snapper quota solely
for use by the charter/for-hire industry.
Amendment 40 was narrowly approved at
the October meeting of the Gulf Council
and is now pending approval by the U.S.
Secretary of Commerce.
“The action adopted by the majority lacks support, especially from the Gulf
states, and hinders future management
of the fishery,” the report states. “This
amendment and this vote signify that federal management of the red snapper fishery is broken. The way Amendment 40 was
pushed through the Council process does
not foster cooperative and collaborative
work between the Council and the Gulf
states to manage this fishery. Most importantly, it violates several National Standards.
As such it is both bad policy, and in violation
of the Act. For these reasons, the Secretary
should reject the amendment.”
The report is signed by council members from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and
Florida, including state fisheries directors
from each of those states. It also contains
an email from the director of Alabama’s
Marine Resources Division, which explains
that the state voted for the amendment in
exchange for the inclusion of a sunset provision that would automatically abandon
sector separation in three years unless the
Council takes action.
The Council approved Amendment 40
by a 10-7 vote over opposition from the
Gulf states, Congress, the vast majority of
recreational anglers and even from within
the charter/for-hire industry itself. In fact,
the minority report calculated that more
than 96 percent of all public comments
were opposed to Amendment 40, but the
amendment was still jammed through the
Council process. Until it is signed by the
Secretary of Commerce, however, Amendment 40 is just a recommendation from the
Gulf Council with no legal standing.
“In addition to being poor policy, sector separation is also bad law. Without an
agreement on the allocation, the Council
cannot know the impacts. And without
knowing the impacts, the Council cannot
propose to manage the fishery,” the report
concludes. “In addition, the potential one
day derby fishery puts private anglers at
risk, and exacerbates the conflicts within
the sector. These issues are in direct violation of a number of national standards.
Therefore, the minority requests the Secretary to reject the amendment and have the
Council collect the information necessary
to make an informed decision.”
Picture It!
We want great photos
from our members!
Help keep Seawatch “One of the best conservation publications
in Florida.” Please send your photos to Dan Askin,
P.O. Box 568886, Orlando, Florida, 32856-8886
407-854-7002 [email protected]
Presented by
Yamaha
CCA FLORIDA
BANQUET SCHEDULE
APRIL
Knight’s Banquet
Thursday, April 23
The inaugural Carl Black CCA Knights
Banquet presented by Costa Sunglasses
and Mudhole Custom Tackle will be held
Thursday, April 23.Made up entirely of UCF
students and alumni, this event will be held
at Carl Black of Orlando! We are moving
the cars out of the showroom and bringing
in the banquet — including open bar! For
more information, please contact
Nick Pectol at 321-271-7723
Hernando Banquet
Thursday, April 23
This event will be held in Heffernan Hall
at St. Anthony Catholic Church and is
guaranteed to be a blast. There will be a
catered dinner and an open bar! We know
we have your attention now! For more
information, please contact Zack
Batley at 813-943-8993
Sarasota Photo All-Release
Challenge & Barbeque
Friday and Saturday,
April 24 & 25
The 20th annual Sarasota All Release
Challenge and BBQ presented by Hidden
Harbor is scheduled for April 24 and 25
at Hidden Harbor Marina. The Captains’
meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Friday at
Hidden Harbor, followed by the tournament and BBQ Saturday. Your entry fee
of $95 per angler includes hors d’oeuvres
at the captain’s meeting, a tackle box with
over $100 in lures, a T-shirt and tickets
to the BBQ Saturday night - including
open bar! Divisions include: angler, ladies, fly and youth. Tickets for the BBQ
can be purchased separately for $50 and
include a one-year CCA membership.
For more information, contact
Adam Miller at 941-270-0895
South Walton Kid’s Tournament
Sunday, April 26
The annual Kids Tournament will be held
at The Red Bar in Grayton Beach. The
time for the tournament is noon to 4
p.m. All registered participants will receive a rod and reel from Fish Florida,
Pompano rigs and shrimp from Yellowfin Ocean Sports and a beach rod holder from Ferguson Water Works. For
more information, please contact Neill O’Connell at 850-4191260 or Caitlin Mitchell at 334391-2232
(continued on page 21)
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By Bill Camp
Chairman, CCA Florida
Amendment 1 Approved By Florida Voters
Photos by Mike Conner
Florida voters sent a strong message
to the Florida Legislature last November
by voting to approve Amendment 1 by a
resounding 75 to 25 percent margin. The
amendment received approximately 4.2
million affirmative votes. As a refresher,
Amendment 1, otherwise known as the
Florida Water and Land Conservation Initiative, requires Florida’s legislature to use
33 percent of all net documentary tax revenues from real estate transactions (known
as “doc stamps”) over the next two decades
for the purchase, restoration, improvement,
and management of conservation lands in
the state.
Amendment 1 required a supermajority
of at least 60 percent to pass, as is mandated by Section 5 of Article XI in the Florida Constitution. Importantly, the amend-
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ment’s adoption did not increase taxes or
tax rates. Rather, it will redirect tax revenues from a specific source, for a specific
purpose, over a specific amount of time.
One third of tax revenues from doc stamps
from fiscal 2015-2016 are estimated to be
approximately $650 million. This number
is forecast to roughly double by the 20th
year of its authority, to about $1.2 billion
annually, bringing the estimated cumulative
authority of the amendment to about $10
billion.
Florida has had a long history of initiatives designed to accomplish objectives
similar to Amendment 1’s. However, all
prior programs have been created through
legislative mandates. Florida’s Land Acquisition Trust Fund was originally created
by Florida’s legislature in 1963. Its intent
was designed to fund outdoor recreation
and conservation programs, focusing on
purchasing land for parks and recreation.
It was funded by a sales tax on outdoor
equipment and clothing. Five years later,
the legislature discontinued the outdoor
equipment and clothing sales tax and voted
to fund the Trust Fund with the sale of municipal bonds. The bond interest was to be
serviced primarily by doc stamp revenue
from real estate sales.
Other more ambitious efforts followed.
Preservation 2000 was signed into law by
Governor Bob Martinez in 1990, which endeavored to place close to 900,000 acres of
land under state control. In the ensuing decade, the state spent about $300 million of
doc stamp taxes (facilitated by a bond issue)
each year on P2000 conservation measures.
In 1999, then Governor Jeb Bush replaced
P2000 with the Florida Forever Act, which
was designed to buy land critical to Florida’s
water supply and habitat, and to help the
survival of over 500 endangered or threatened species. The Florida Forever program
has acquired more than 700,000 acres of
land since its inception, for about $2.9 billion. The two laws combined to produce
the largest public land acquisition programs
in the country, and by the turn of the century, the state had purchased more than 2.5
million acres. This brought Florida’s total
conservation acreage to almost 10 million,
managed by various state, federal, and local
government entities. Land purchased under
P2000 and the Florida Forever Act is held
in trust for the citizens of Florida, and it is
managed by various state agencies, the largest of which are the Division of State Lands,
Florida’s Water Management Districts, and
the Florida Communities Trust. Submerged
acreage managed by various government
entities adds another 3.6 million acres to
the grand total and, in case you are wondering, Florida’s total non-submerged land
mass is just under 35 million acres.
The recession that formally began in
2008 put a large dent in the doc stamp revenues that could be employed to further
Florida Forever’s directives. The resulting
decline in appropriations for sensitive land
acquisition led citizen groups to mobilize to
restore a funding source for conservation
purposes. This led to Amendment 1.
CCA Florida supported Amendment 1,
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
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along with several other prominent Florida conservation groups, including Florida
Audubon, the Everglades Foundation, Florida Wildlife Federation, Florida Conservation Coalition, the Snook Foundation, Tampa Bay Watch, river keepers from around
the state, and a host of others.
From an economic standpoint, CCA
firmly believes sound conservation measures can still create a good business environment. CCA Florida has proven this to
the be the case over and over again in our
fisheries management, and believe the same
dynamic to be at play when our state takes
constructive steps to conserve sensitive
lands for their natural beauty, their role in
our complex ecosystem, and for human beings to enjoy. For example, a healthy Indian
River Lagoon system has an estimated $3.7
billion annual economic impact alone. Similar economic dynamics exist for so many
other areas of the state, such as the Keys,
Pine Island Sound, Tampa Bay, and Florida
Bay. Given Florida’s complicated hydrology,
it is virtually impossible to divorce landbased conversation issues from the state’s
overall water quality. They directly affect
Florida’s marine resources, in fresh, brackish, and salt water environs. This has pro-
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 found effects on Florida’s fish, near and dear
to all of our hearts.
Now comes the sticky part. How
should the state prioritize the lands to be
purchased with funds raised by Amendment
1? What existing state lands and adjoining
properties need conservation improvements and enhanced management? No
doubt, state water policy will be in the
middle of any ensuing debates on the use
Amendment 1 funds. The state is now
soliciting input from Florida residents and
all stakeholders to help prioritize the use
of the funds that will now be available for
conservation purposes. Now dormant
or incomplete programs, such as the purchase of agricultural lands south of Lake
Okeechobee, or the completion of the Kissimmee River restoration, should be high
on the list, given the need to restore the
state’s natural plumbing and ecology. In the
case of the agricultural lands south of the
lake, a willing seller exists and now the state
will have funds to complete the purchase.
A large portion of funds raised through
Amendment 1 should also be deployed to
finally address multiple water management
and water quality issues around the state.
A good start would be to finally require
the removal of septic tanks and systems,
primarily along damaged marine ecosystems. All wastewater treatment systems
throughout the state should be put under
the microscope. These programs could be
initiated by local communities (as they have
in some cases already, such as in Jupiter and
Tequesta along the Loxahatchee River), and
financed by Amendment 1 funds.
The list of possible projects throughout
the state is endless, but since funds are going to be immediately available, the time to
act is now. Used prudently, Amendment 1
funds can and should have a positive impact
on Florida’s water quality, marine resources,
and economy. $10 billion can go a long way.
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What I$ Wrong with the Gulf Council?
It is not unusual for veterans of federal fishery management to marvel at the
vastly different personalities of the various
fishery management councils across the nation. Each region has its own distinct style
of operation, and the New England Fishery
Management Council has arguably held
the title of most contentious arena given
the region’s repeated groundfish disasters.
However, an argument can be made of late
that nothing compares to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.
Recently, the Gulf Council has devolved
to become the undisputed champion of dysfunction and acrimony. Packs of people roam
the halls at Gulf Council meetings, plotting
and scheming to influence proceedings.
Public comment sessions at Gulf Council
meetings routinely run for hours, as various
factions try to convey the righteousness of
their arguments by busing in overwhelming
numbers to make three-minute statements.
This happens occasionally at other fishery
management bodies, but it has become a
regular feature in the Gulf. The August 2014
comment session in Biloxi ran from roughly
5 o’clock in the afternoon to 11 o’clock
that night, a test of endurance for everyone
involved, including the three peace officers
brought in to keep things under control.This
went on despite the proclamation from a
Louisiana council member that public comments don’t matter because “we all know
how we’re going to vote anyway.”
The drama of even a “normal” public
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comment session at the Gulf Council is
always heightened by regular outbreaks of
boos, cheers, groans, jeers and assorted
other noises from the crowd.
The Council itself often resembles our
dysfunctional, partisan, gridlocked Congress,
particularly in its handling of the chaotic red
snapper fishery. After years of inaction and
ever-more draconian regulations, the Council lurched into a final vote over the controversial Amendment 40, which splits charter/
for-hire businesses into their own sector and
assigns them an allocation. It sets the stage
for a catch share program for the charter/
for-hire industry in which individual businesses will almost certainly end up owning
a share of the fishery, much like the commercial sector in which roughly 380 people
already own 51 percent of the entire fishery.
Before tackling a series of motions on
Amendment 40 at October’s meeting, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Regional Administrator Roy Crabtree
made an appeal to council members for consensus and compromise.They went on to decide various aspects of the most controversial
and questionable amendment in recent times
by votes of 9-8, 9-8, 12-5, 9-8, 9-8 and 10-7.
Appeal ignored
Council and NOAA staffers often lament the challenges and shortcomings of
the Gulf Council and wonder aloud why it
has devolved into such a mess. By comparison at this point, the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council runs like a church
service and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission like a military unit.
So what’s the difference? It’s not a mystery. The same motivation that pulled the
New England Council into chaos is at work
here – greed.
No council that manages fisheries with
significant recreational participation is
putting the amount of emphasis on catch
shares and privatization as the Gulf Council.
Since the creation of the commercial red
snapper catch share program in 2007, the
Gulf Council has become the place people
come to grab their piece of the pie. The
term “snapper baron” was coined to describe the massive transfer of wealth that
occurred in the Gulf when that public resource was gifted and acquired by a select
few commercial fishermen.
It isn’t so much about managing fisheries
anymore in the Gulf; it’s about manipulating the system and positioning yourself to
reap a windfall. It’s ugly because it’s about
money, and when people see an opportunity to take ownership of a prized resource
like red snapper or amberjack or grouper,
the long knives come out.
Gulf Council and NOAA staff moan
about the chaos, but their shepherding of
this fishery and overt promotion of catch
shares helped create it. If you choose to
manage valuable public resources like a
king dispensing favors, then you shouldn’t
be surprised when respect and thoughtful
discussion go right out the window. Everyone wants to be a winner, and they’ll do
anything to be the next millionaire.
If nothing derails Amendment 40, which
until the Secretary of Commerce signs it
is only a recommendation, the Gulf charter/for-hire industry is in for a tumultuous
time. There is still no mechanism for how
to allocate this pile of gold they’ve been
given. Somehow, 1,300 boats from different regions are going to have to figure out
how to divvy up millions of pounds of red
snapper. If the Gulf Council is any indication,
that won’t be a pretty process. Contrary to
what many in that industry were led to believe, not everyone is going to be a winner.
NOAA staff can cluck and shake their
heads over the chaos in the Gulf, but their
own misguided management philosophy is
at the root of it. Unfortunately, now we all
have to live with it.
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S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 9
around the state
Day on the Hill
When the governor stops by your event
to raise awareness among the legislators,
you know it’s going to be a good day! Gov.
Rick Scott led the list of VIPs who stopped
by CCA Florida’s Day on the Hill. The governor spoke with CCA Legacy Member
Capt. Rick Murphy and shared a story about
his grandson catching his first fish in Key
Largo the previous weekend.
CCA Florida took the show on the
road to Tallahassee for our second annual
Day on the Hill. The object of the event
is to raise awareness of CCA Florida and
of recreational fishing with the legislators
in Tallahassee. From the economic impact
that recreational fishing provides to habitat restoration work to getting our young
people engaged in outdoor activities, we
want them to understand the importance
of the recreational angling community. If
you based the success of our efforts on the
statements of the VIPs that attended, our
mission was accomplished!
A large part of the Day on the Hill event
centered on a press conference announcing the new CCA Florida STAR Tournament
presented by Yamaha. Jim Williams, STAR
Tournament chairman, kicked off the press
conference, which included comments by
Leiza Fitzgerald, STAR Tournament director, as well as Capt. Rick Murphy, host of
Sportsman’s Adventures and the Florida Insider Fishing Report.
Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam headed up a list of special VIP speakers at the press conference, which included
FWC Commissioners Brian Yablonski and
Charles Roberts. Commissioner Putnam
began the guest comments by discussing
the importance of recreational fishing on
the economy of Florida and how fishing is
such a great way of introducing families to
all that Florida has to offer. Commisioners
Yablonski and Roberts followed, each talking about their support of the STAR Tournament and the importance of their relationship with CCA Florida. Commisioner
Yablonski put it best by saying, “We truly
value the partnership we have with CCA
Florida and look to CCA for input as the
voice of recreational anglers when considering fisheries issues.”
In addition to the press conference, the
CCA display featured a lineup of our state
sponsor boats with Contender, Pathfinder
and Hell’s Bay boats all getting a lot of looks
as legislators walked through. Displays also
included oyster mats, mangroves and in-
FWC Commissioner Charles Roberts put his
support behind CCA Florida’s STAR Tournament
formation about various habitat projects
around the state, as well as some powerful
graphics showing the economic impact of
recreational anglers on the state economy.
While we all know a bad day of fishing is
better than a good day of working, a good
day of telling fish stories with the leaders of
our state government is hard to beat! Congratulations to the CCA Florida Advocacy
team and to all of the volunteers who made
this day possible!
FWC Commissioner Brian Yablonski discusses his
long relationship with CCA Florida
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S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
Capt. Rick Murphy, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam
and Sandy Safley gear up for the STAR press conference
Governor Rick Scott stopped by to trade fishing stories. Pictured here: Brian Gorski
CCA Florida Executive Director, Governor Rick Scott, Capt. Rick Murphy,Trip Aukeman CCA Florida Director of Advocacy and FWC Commissioner Charles Roberts
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 11
around the state
12
A New STAR Rises
Get ready for the
inaugural CCA Florida
STAR Tournament
presented by Yamaha
The CCA Statewide Tournament and
Angler’s Rodeo has been a summertime
staple for anglers in Texas and Louisiana for
many years, and on May 23, anglers in Florida will finally have an opportunity to get in
on the action with CCA Florida’s inaugural
STAR tournament presented by Yamaha.
Thanks to the successful STAR blueprint
developed by CCA Texas and CCA Louisiana, Florida has a proven formula, but as
Florida’s STAR Tournament Director Leiza
Fitzgerald states, Florida is putting its own
spin on the tournament.
Like the other STAR tournaments, the
CCA Florida STAR will run from Memorial
Day through Labor Day, allowing for 108 days
of competition. By catching one of 80 tagged
redfish, anglers can win one of many great
prizes including a pick up truck or a boat motor and trailer package powered by a Yamaha
motor, like a Contender 22 Sport, Pathfinder
2200 TRS or Hell’s Bay Waterman. Other division prizes in the CCA Florida STAR will
include Yamaha motors, Marathon Petroleum
gift cards, Power Pole shallow water anchors,
Shimano fishing tackle, Raymarine electronics and gift cards – nearly $500,000 worth of
prizes total. Perhaps most exciting of all, youth
anglers are eligible to win a share of $100,000
in scholarships. The youth division includes
kids ages 6 to 17 and will award at least 12
college scholarships. Youth division species
include cobia, speckled trout, snook, sheepshead, jack crevalle and ladyfish, giving even the
youngest anglers the opportunity to compete
for scholarships.
By working with the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission, the
Florida STAR has added a few unique features of its own, such as the Marathon Petroleum Conservation Division which will
help the FWC’s study Florida’s fisheries.
FWC’s research arm, the Fish and Wildlife
Research Institute, is rearing the redfish
that will be tagged and released on Florida’s
west coast in late May. Each fish caught will
help further the science of fisheries management and conservation with the hopes
of ultimately improving future hatchery
efforts. Conservation is the name of the
game, and in the conservation division, anglers will record and share data about all of
their catches to give the FWC even more
information to better manage the resource.
CCA Florida also worked with the Snook
and Gamefish Foundation to create its own
state-of-the-art smartphone app, which will
allow anglers to enter fish right from the
boat. The catch-and-photo format is another
new wrinkle that allows all fish that are caught
to be eligible for prizes. Best of all, prizes are
not awarded based on the largest fish of each
species.The “Open” category, complemented
by categories for kayaks, fly, ladies and youth,
and the guide division, which will award prizes
for simply signing up STAR entrants, are other
distinct features of the Florida STAR. The licensed guides division is designed to recruit
more participants and will award $17,500 in
prizes to the three guides who register the
most anglers for the tournament.
“Where most recreational tournaments
exclude guides, we wanted to find a way
to help the guys and gals who are some of
CCA’s best supporters and often our eyes
and ears on the water,” said Fitzergald, a licensed charter boat captain who developed
the guides division.
STAR is a nonprofit tournament focused
on attracting people to Florida’s outstanding
saltwater resources. It gets families on the
water and helps educate all anglers about
the importance of conserving and protecting
their coastal resources. Last year, Texas, with
less than 400 miles of coastline, had 45,000
people fish STAR. By comparison, Florida
enjoys more than 1,300 miles of coastline
and boasts more than 1.2 million licensed
saltwater anglers. With numbers like that,
CCA Florida hopes to reach thousands of
new anglers every year through the STAR
tournament.
“This tournament represents the most
exciting opportunity in our history to
educate the public about Florida’s marine
resources and how we can best preserve
the future for our children,” CCA Florida
Chairman Bill Camp said.
Much of the excitement over this tournament stems from the enthusiasm of the
sponsors who have provided overwhelming
support for the launch of the Florida STAR.
“Maverick Boat Company has been an
integral part of the success of CCA Florida for more than 25 years, and they have
stepped up once again with another donated Pathfinder bay boat,” said Brian Gorski,
CCA Florida’s executive director.
The newer boat sponsors, Hell’s Bay
Boatworks and Contender, have lent incredibly strong support as well. In addition to the
boats already donated for Florida’s banquet
program, these corporate stewards of our
marine resources have each donated a second boat for STAR prizes. Other donors, like
Power Pole, Wells Fargo Papa’s Pilar Rum,
Florida Sportsman Magazine, Shimano, Raymarine Marine Electronics, Finlandia Vodka
and LIVETARGET, have also made significant
donations that will go to support scholarships and other prize categories.
During its first two years, CCA Florida
STAR will release tagged fish on the west
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
State Sponsors
Step Up for STAR
CCA Florida is proud to announce
that four of our major state sponsors have
stepped up to support the inaugural CCA
Florida Star Tournament presented by Yamaha! As the title implies, Yamaha stepped
up in a big way, providing motors for prizes
as well as powering all of the boat packages.
All three of our boat sponsors stepped up
as well with Contender donating a 22 Sport
Center Console, Maverick Boat Company
donating a Pathfinder 2200TRS and Hell’s
Bay Boatworks donating a Waterman!
Each package will be complete with a Yamaha motor and custom aluminum trailer!
Registered tournament anglers who catch
a CCA Florida STAR-tagged redfish will
be eligible to win one of these incredible
prizes packages.
These contributions are in addition to
the boats and motors that each company
has donated each year! Not only do these
organizations produce the finest boats and
motors in their categories, but also each
one truly understands the importance of
giving back and insuring that our marine
resources will be around for generations
to come.
CCA Florida is lucky to be able to count
groups like these as our sponsors and
friends and we look forward to putting on
a successful STAR Tournament with their
help! Thank you!
coast of the state, providing an opportunity
to catch a tagged redfish from Pensacola
through the southern reaches of Everglades
National Park. After those first two years,
Florida expects to expand STAR-tagged fish
to the entire state and will potentially include more species.
For complete rules and to enter Florida
STAR, please visit CCAFLSTAR.com and make
plans to get in on the action this summer.
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 13
around the state
14
Historic Banquet in Manatee County
Walter Fondren, the founder of CCA, always said, “The bigger
the committee, the bigger the dance.” With 23 members, the committee for the CCA Manatee County Chapter just pulled off the
biggest “dance” in CCA Florida history!
The Conley Buick GMC CCA Florida 16th Annual Manatee
County Banquet & Auction, presented by Cannons Marina, set a
CCA Florida all-time attendance record at their banquet February 26. They filled every inch of the 32,000-square-foot convention
center with 648 attendees and 54 corporate tables.With fundraising
totaling over $250,000 this was one incredible banquet.
The venue was large enough to accommodate boats from all
three state boat sponsors: Contender, Pathfinder and Hell’s Bay
Boatworks, plus vehicles and boats from title and presenting sponsors Conley Buick GMC and Cannons Marina. The silent auctions
were filled with merchandise from local sponsors including Crowder
Brothers Ace Hardware, Ingman Marine and many more. The live
auction was jammed with one-of-a-kind trips and merchandise, but
the highlight of the night was when Capt. Rick Murphy’s trip to the
Bahamas hit the auction block. The trip, which included private airfare along with three days of fishing and accommodations, went to
the highest bidder for $11,000, and if that wasn’t good enough, Capt.
Rick stepped up and offered to donate a second trip, bringing the
total to $22,000 on just one item! Thank you, Capt. Rick!
Thank you to all who made this event such a historical success!
From the Chapter President, Ron Crowder, and all of his committee
members, to each and every guest, sponsor and donor, you should
all be proud of your achievement!
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 15
16
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
After over a year of selling tickets, the
winner was drawn. Capt. Rick Murphy read
the winners information on the ticket stub
and knew right away this was going to be
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 a special moment. “If your first name starts
with the letter L, please stand” Murphy
said to a crowd of over 600 at the Manatee County Banquet. A few dozen people
excitedly jumped to their feet. “If your last
name starts with the letter G, please continue standing,” Murphy went on, and three
people remained, looking on in disbelief.
“And if your name is Luis Garcia, you just
won a brand new Pathfinder boat courtesy
of Maverick Boat Company,” exclaimed Murphy. Needless to say, Luis was thrilled.
Over the years, we have given away many
boats and other great prizes, but Luis’ reaction was priceless. Jumping on a chair, high
fiving the group of friends at his table and
celebrating the moment — it was a sight
to behold. Luis is a longtime CCA member from the Tampa area and no stranger to
Maverick Boat Company products, already
owning a Pathfinder. Congratulations, Luis!
In all, through the donation of this Pathfinder, Maverick Boat Company helped
CCA Florida raise $92,300 to conserve
and protect our marine resources. Special
thanks to Scott Deal and the entire team at
Maverick Boat Company!
around the state
Lucky Member wins
Pathfinder 2200 T RS
17
habitat horizon
Taming the Lionfish
Lionfish, lionfish, everywhere! In the
news, on the reefs (both artificial and natural), in shallow waters and way down deep.
You’d think every man, woman and child
would know that lionfish are an issue by
now, but it’s not so.
Many Floridians and visitors to the state
have no idea that populations of invasive,
non-native lionfish are expanding rapidly
in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.
As a matter of fact, more than half of the
visitors to our “Be The Predator” traveling
outreach and education booth are not even
aware that lionfish are harming our native
wildlife and habitat.
We can all do our part in helping combat the lionfish issue. After reading this article, share the news with your friends and
family. Post an article about lionfish on your
Facebook wall. And if you see a lionfish, remove it.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is doing its part, too.
This includes a series of regulatory changes
that increase your ability to remove lionfish,
outreach to inform the public and incentives to increase harvest pressure. We continue to work closely with those who have
a stake in the lionfish issue, from fostering
long-term partnerships to brainstorming
with the public. Have an idea? Email it to us
at [email protected].
We pledge to continue doing what we
can to make sure everyone knows about
the lionfish issue and is inspired to act.
New Reef Rangers Lionfish
Control Program
While the dive community is the primary line of defense against the lionfish invasion, we all have a vested interest in protecting our reef systems. For this reason,
the FWC is creating new and innovative
ways for both divers and non-divers to get
involved in lionfish control efforts.
In May, the FWC will unveil the new
Meet Meaghan! FWC’s New
Lionfish Outreach Coordinator
I remember clearly the first time I heard about the lionfish invasion. Around the
water most of my life and studying marine biology, I was not only surprised, but
honestly, I was disappointed in myself for not realizing it
was an issue earlier. I saw my first lionfish underwater in
June 2012 in Florida Bay.
From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be on the
front lines combating the invasion.
I spent my undergraduate years studying the species
and assisting with research on lionfish diet. While I plan
to continue researching lionfish, my work as FWC’s Lionfish Outreach Coordinator has allowed me to achieve
my goal of effecting change by raising awareness about
lionfish.
Today, I have the unique opportunity to travel around
the state and share information about the lionfish invasion with thousands of people like you. I’m intrigued by
your curiosity and amazed by how many people have not
heard about the issue.
I have also had the opportunity to dive and collect
lionfish with some of the most accomplished lionfish
hunters and leading lionfish researchers. Learning to hunt lionfish and sharing the
latest information has been an awesome experience. When you are in the water,
the feeling of responsibility is overwhelming. You have the power to do something
about it.
Spreading the word about the invasion is not just my job — it’s my passion, and
I’m excited to be working with you.
Come see me at the FWC “Be the Predator” booth at your local events and
lionfish tournaments. I’m happy to answer your lionfish questions. Happy hunting!
18
“Reef Rangers” Lionfish Control Program
via a weekend-long blowout event in Pensacola. Think of it like an Adopt-A-Highway
program, but instead of cleaning up trash
off a local roadway, participants will pledge
to conduct regular lionfish removals from
specific reefs. Not a diver? No worries, Reef
Ranger dive teams will need partners like
you to support lionfish removal efforts.
It is clear lionfish can and will repopulate a reef after a single harvesting event.
Scientific studies have also shown repeated
harvesting events are the best way to keep
the population of lionfish under control and
protect reef ecosystems.
Reef Rangers will be the first control
program in Florida designed to provide
sustained, long-term control, and the first
program designed to involve the non-diving
community. On top of the good feelings
Reef Rangers will get from doing their part,
they will be entered into a drawing and
eligible for prizes if they submit their data
via the Report Florida Lionfish app or MyFWC.com/Lionfish.
Report Those Lionfish!
Have you reported your lionfish sighting or catch on the new Report Florida
Lionfish app? Thanks to your suggestions,
the app has undergone some great transformations, including the addition of an interactive map. This map includes all lionfish
reports, photos of the fish caught and a reef
option so you can look at all of Florida’s
artificial reefs. The map is also viewable on
MyFWC.com/Lionfish. Other new features
include entry slots for largest and smallest
fish caught, the ability to submit data without including a photograph and the ability
to share your catch on Facebook or Twitter.
When using the app, please make sure to
enter the exact coordinates for the harvest
location and the date you collected them.
This information is vital!
Sell Those Lionfish!
Lionfish harvesters are asking if they can
legally sell lionfish to defray the cost of harvest. The answer is “YES!” and the process
for obtaining the required Individual Saltwater Products License is very simple. Just visit
MyFWC.com/License and click on “Commercial Saltwater Products” and “2014–15
Saltwater Products License Application (with
instructions).” Print and complete the application form and mail to the address on the
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
application with a check or money order for
$50. The individual SPL also replaces your
recreational saltwater fishing license as well
as the snook and lobster permits. That’s all
there is to it, just remember that this license
only allows you to sell to licensed wholesale
dealers. If you have any questions, just call
the FWC Office of Licensing and Permitting
at 850-487-3122.
Invite the Lionfish
Outreach Team to Participate
in Your Event!
Have you seen the Be The Predator
Lionfish Outreach and Education booth?
Lionfish Outreach Coordinator Meaghan
Faletti has been all over that state with the
booth sharing information about lionfish.
Since July 2014, the team has participated
in tournaments, festivals and other public
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 events across Florida and discussed lionfish
with more than 1,200 people. Visitors to
the booth learn about lionfish life history,
distribution, population expansion and how
our native species and ecosystems are being affected.
Visit MyFWC.com/Lionfish and click
on “Derbies and Events” to see when the
lionfish booth will be at a location near
you, or request a no-cost lionfish workshop in your area by visiting MyFWC.com/
Lionfish. You can also reach the Lionfish
Outreach and Education team by phone at
850-487-0554.
19
20
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
The Habitat Horizon
The objective of CCA Florida is to conserve, promote and enhance our coastal
resources for benefit and enjoyment of
the general public. For many years, this
has meant battling in the trenches against
commercial over harvesting of Florida’s marine resources and advocating for strong
resource-based management of our recreational fisheries. Many years, many dollars
and many man hours were spent advocating against gill nets, long lines, fish traps and
other indiscriminate resource killers. Just as
many were spent fighting for long-view, conservation-oriented management of Florida’s
fisheries. The organization has experienced
many victories in those battles and, if recent
experience is any indication, those battles
will likely continue for many years to come.
However, there is a new sun rising at
CCA Florida, and it is rising over the habitat
horizon. Due to the growth and increased
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 breadth of the organization, habitat restoration issues have become a key focus going
forward. Habitat issues are not new to CCA
Florida or its members. For more than a decade, hundreds of CCA Florida local chapter
members have contributed thousands of volunteer hours and acquired hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for marine habitat
restoration projects. On Florida’s west coast,
volunteers have built oyster bars and planted
literally hundreds of acres of saltmarsh, sea
grass beds and mangroves. On Florida’s east
coast, volunteers have restored oyster reefs
and planted mangroves along the altered
shorelines of Lake Worth and the Indian
River Lagoon and built near-shore artificial
reefs. Many of these projects were partially
or wholly funded through foundation grants
acquired by CCA Florida members and from
donations by local CCA chapters.
habitat horizon
By JD Dickenson, CCA Florida
Habitat Committee Chairman
(continued on page 25)
21
habitat horizon
CCA River Reefs
by Joe Kistel
Two aquatic habitats were built in the St Johns
River using recycled materials for the purpose of
benefiting the waterway environment while providing a recreational fishing location. The habitats
created have been referred to as “Urban Reefs”
due to their location proximity to downtown
Jacksonville. The project was constructed in December of 2014 and is intended to be the first
of many CCA habitat projects in the northeast
Florida region.
22
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
The “CCA River Reefs” were physically
constructed in two weeks, but it required
over three years of preparations to make
the habitat projects a reality. This endeavor
was the first of its kind in northeast Florida
and thus a cookbook type recipe was not
yet available to follow. In the beginning, it
was not even understood what regulatory
bodies would be involved in governing such
a project. It took time to get the process
rolling, but ultimately it was determined
there would be two permitting regulatory
agencies.
To apply for permitting, several project
details needed to be determined including
site selection, material and material quanti-
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 ty. The two sites selected were determined
to be the most ideal locations to maximize
the productivity of the habitat created while
also meeting regulatory and local demands.
Material chosen to construct the reefs sites
was a recycled form of concrete known as
“ribbon concrete.” Ribbon concrete is a
clean form of concrete that is made from
the remaining concrete in a concrete truck
after a pour. The aggregate in the material
creates an irregular surface texture that
aids in maximizing the real estate available
for aquatic life to adhere to. The material
was broken into random chunk-sized pieces that made it a logistically friendly choice
for building the habitat that was intended.
This concrete material was generously donated by the Argos Corporation.
Our construction plans called for 1,300
tons of concrete material to be deployed
between the two permitted habitat zones.
Considering the barge capacity was approximately 70-80 tons, we planned for 18
barge load deployments. For each deployment, the barge was spudded into position
as precisely as possible. Once in position,
material was offloaded on the port and
starboard sides of the barge, creating two
separate material mounds per drop. Nine
barge loads of material were deployed at
each reef site.
The construction process created piles
of habitat structure up to five feet off the
river bottom. This generated relief, combined with the vast amount rock-like surface area, is anticipated to create a home
for a variety of encrusting organisms. These
animals are expected to provide resources
in the form of food and additional shelter
that will likely support all levels of the regional aquatic food chain.
This area of the St. Johns River has historically been was home to eel grass habitat. Environmental factors have changed
over the years due to man’s influence, and
the eel grass habitat has disappeared. The
intent of this project is to mitigate the loss
of eel grass habitat with new aquatic habitat
that is able to thrive in present conditions.
Although we are unable to replace the eel
grass, this new habitat will benefit the river
system while providing a recreational area
that can be utilized by the community.
23
24
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
Habitat Horizon
MAY
continued from page 21
These past efforts are now being augmented with additional resources and are
centrally coordinated through CCA Florida’s
statewide Habitat Restoration Committee.
Thanks to the leadership of Don Roberts,
the committee was officially formed as a
State Committee reporting directly to the
Chairman of CCA Florida in the summer
of 2014 and has been hard at work coordinating and advancing key habitat restoration
projects throughout the state. The committee has a vision of a map of the state of
Florida that is peppered with completed and
in-process habitat restoration projects. We
already have an impressive list of completed
projects with many more on the horizon.
In its short time on the job, the committee has supported and overseen the
deployment of a cutting-edge inshore reef
in downtown Jacksonville, construction of a
near shore artificial reef in South Palm Beach
County, in partnership with UCF the continued restoration of oyster and sea grass
habitat in the Mosquito Lagoon and the development of a large-scale near-shore reef
project off of Walton County. Further, the
Habitat Committee is working toward or
considering numerous other in process or
potential projects including the development
of a CCA Florida Foundation dedicated to
funding habitat projects, a Tampa Bay oyster
reef creation project, a Florida Bay sea grass
and salinity related project and many more.
None of these projects are possible
without the passion and dedication of individual members of CCA Florida. However,
there is much more work to be done and
the Habitat Committee’s best resource for
habitat restoration ideas and manpower is
CCA Florida’s membership base. As with
many things conservation, it is often about
the money. If you have ideas on restoration projects or ideas on funding sources
for restoration projects, please reach out to
your Regional Director or to any member
of the Habitat Restoration Committee.
“Of all the questions which can come before
this nation, short of the actual preservation of its
existence in a great war, there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of
leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us.” Theodore Roosevelt
Nowhere is this statement more poignant and more relevant than in Florida.
We are all very fortunate to live in a beautiful place with unique marine resources. But
it is a place that presents seemingly endless
challenges and risks to the health of the
very natural resources that make it beautiful to begin with. It is for that reason that
CCA Florida has made habitat restoration
a key part of its mission.
It is a testament to the growth and good
management of this organization that CCA
Florida can now effectively fight the critical commercial gear and resource access
battles with one arm, while advancing the
organization’s habitat restoration goals with
the other. I am proud to serve on CCA
Florida’s Habitat Restoration Committee,
and I am excited about our ability to conserve, promote and enhance our coastal resources through habitat projects. Enjoy the
view of the Habitat Horizon.
Broward Banquet
Thursday, May 7
This event is held at the IGFA Fishing Hall
of Fame! Do we need to say more? Enjoy
one of the coolest venues around the state
and a great meal by Texas Cattle Company.
Tickets are just $100 per person or $175
per couple. Corporate and reserved tables
begin at $875 for a table of 10. For more
information, please contact Matt
Behm at 561-644-2788
Lake Banquet
Thursday, May 14
Held at the beautiful Lake Receptions in
Mount Dora, this event is one you will not
want to miss. Tickets are $65 per person or
$120 per couple. Corporate and reserved
tables begin at $1,100 for a table of 8. For
more information, please contact
Tina Sonnenfeld at 352-978-1553
or Adam Miller at 941-270-0895
Big Bend (Tallahassee) Banquet
Thursday, May 21
The Big Bend Banquet will be held at the
National Guard Armory. The banquet committee is betting this event will rival all its
predecessors, so join us for this expectedly
epic affair! Tickets are $85 per person or
$160 per couple. Corporate and reserved
tables begin at $800 for a table of 8. For
more information, contact Caitlin
Mitchell at 334-391-2232
CCA Florida STAR Tournament Begins
Saturday, May 23
Register now for the inaugural CCA Florida
STAR Tournament presented by Yamaha. At
just $30 for current CCA members, you
need to enter this tournament. Anglers will
be competing for nearly $500,000 in prizes!
Register online at CCAFLSTAR.com. For
more information, contact Leiza
Fitzgerald at 352 665-4868
JUNE
www.calusa.com
S E AWAT C H • S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 Inter Chapter Challenge (ICC)
Friday & Saturday, June 26 & 27 The 12th Annual CCA Florida Inter Chapter
Challenge is scheduled for June 26 and 27 at
River Palm Cottages and Fish Camp in Jensen
Beach. The 2014 ICC set an all-time record
with over 175 anglers! The ICC was started
in 2004 to bring members together from all
over the state to share ideas, talk about their
individual chapters and have a great day on
the water. This is a great event for the entire
family! The ICC is a photo all-release tournament and the Alex Jernigan Grand Champion
is based on the team’s total inches of their
largest snook, redfish and trout. Please visit
ccaflorida.org to download the complete
rules and entry list. For more information, please contact Brian Gorski at
941-720-4446
25
FWC Law Enforcement Update
Commissioner Profile
Adrien Bo Rivard
The Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation
Commission is
responsible for many
things in order to
achieve their stated
mission: “Managing fish
and wildlife resources
for their long-term
well-being and the
benefit of people.”
Law enforcement is a
primary focus in that
mission.We all
understand that
without strong
enforcement, the
rules and regulations
we work so hard to
pass do nothing. CCA
Florida is proud to
continue our regular
feature in Sea Watch;
The FWC Law
Enforcement Update.
Please remember you
can do your part by
reporting all fish and
wildlife violations
to the FWC at
888-404-FWCC (3922)
Cellular phone users,
call *FWC or #FWC.
Adrien Bo Rivard of Panama City was appointed to the Commission on March 8, 2013 by
Gov. Rick Scott.
Rivard has been a partner with Harrison
Rivard Duncan & Buzzett since 2002 and is the
past-president of the Bay County Chamber of
Commerce. He has a bachelor’s degree from the
University of Florida and a law degree from Samford University.
Commissioner Rivard’s term expires Aug. 1,
2017.
Law Enforcement Case
Anglers Encouraged by New
of There’s
the Week
nothing like hands-on exRecreational Fishing Policy
perience when it comes to training
for a job. When officers are fresh out
of our FWC academy, they must go
through a 16-week on-the-job training period with a Field Training Officer.
Some of the lessons learned and cases
made may become some of their most
memorable! New officer Nick Korade,
shown here, and his FTO, Officer Lee
Yates, were patrolling a tidal creek
when they came across a significant
fisheries violation. Some individuals
were keeping extra redfish (the bag
limit is 2 per person in that area), including 10 that were undersized. All
subjects were issued notices to appear.
Citation
Issued
Officer Ward stopped a fisherman
in northeast Volusia County and found
him to be in possession of 22 black
drum. A citation was issued, and 17
drum were seized and donated.
26
Saltwater anglers welcomed the announcement of the National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy, which was rolled out at the Progressive
Miami International Boat Show. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service announced the policy
during a press conference headlined by its top administrator, Eileen Sobeck.
“This is a major step in the right direction,” said Jeff Angers, president of
the Center for Coastal Conservation. “For the first time, NOAA Fisheries
officially acknowledges the inherent differences between recreational and
commercial fisheries — and the need to manage the sectors differently.
“The rubber will meet the road in implementation,” he said, “but this is
a good roadmap.”
The policy identifies goals and guiding principles related to recreational
fishing to be integrated — top-down — into NOAA Fisheries planning,
budgeting, decision-making and activities. The goals of the policy are to: 1)
support and maintain sustainable saltwater recreational fisheries resources,
including healthy marine and estuarine habitats; 2) promote saltwater recreational fishing for the social, cultural, and economic benefit of the nation;
and 3) enable enduring participation in and enjoyment of saltwater recreational fisheries through science-based conservation and management.
Recreational anglers and boaters identified their primary priorities in the
Commission on Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Management’s report “A Vision for Managing America’s Saltwater Recreational Fisheries.” The commission,
headed by Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris and Maverick Boats President
Scott Deal, highlighted six key policies that would achieve the commission’s
vision. Establishment of a national policy for recreational saltwater fishing was
its No. 1 recommendation. Other key elements include adoption of a revised
approach to saltwater recreational fisheries management; allocating marine fisheries for the greatest benefit to the nation and creating reasonable latitude in
stock rebuilding timelines.
Contributors to the work of the Morris-Deal Commission include the
American Sportfishing Association, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the Berkley Conservation Institute, the Center for Coastal Conservation, the Coastal Conservation Association, the Congressional Sportsmen’s
Foundation, International Game Fish Association, the National Marine Manufacturers Association, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and
The Billfish Foundation.
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