FWC’s May meeting was the first to cover the proposed seasonal rule changes to protect this site. Here are the facts about the proposal:

• The proposed rule change would prohibit hook-and-line fishing and the possession of hook-and-line gear within a 1.74-square-mile area in Biscayne National Park during peak bonefish spawning season, November through June.
• The area is less than 2 square miles, which is less than half of 1% of the Bay’s total area of 429 square miles.
• The site, located east of Elliott Key, is not a significant destination for anglers or guides. It is a patch-reef site, not a flat, and the water is too deep to pole a skiff.

Protecting bonefish at this site is critical. Here’s why:

• Bonefish are extremely sensitive to disturbance during this stage of their spawn. Protecting spawning sites is essential to ensuring a successful spawn and a stable population. 
• Bonefish have been documented to return to this location year after year to gather by the thousands before spawning in deep water.
• 35% of the larvae spawned at this site have been shown to remain in Biscayne Bay, supporting the ongoing recovery of the local bonefish population. 
• These larvae also support populations throughout the Florida Keys.

BTT expects this proposed rule change to be refined, incorporating your public comments, before it is finalized at the Commission's August meeting. BTT will encourage the following recommendations to ensure this rule change is most effective:

• Regular monitoring of the site to measure the efficacy of the seasonal closure.
• Sunsetting the provision in five years, at which time the FWC can decide whether or not to continue the provision. 
• Ensuring the timeframe of the seasonal closure is appropriate and effective.

BTT was founded more than 25 years ago by a group of concerned anglers to restore Florida’s declining bonefish populations. With critical support from the fishing community, decades of science-led advocacy and conservation efforts have finally resulted in the recovery of the Florida Keys’ iconic bonefish fishery. But we have to keep up the momentum. A cornerstone of BTT’s bonefish conservation efforts in Florida is ensuring a successful spawn in our local waters. BTT thanks FWC for protecting the future generations of Florida's bonefish.
 

Ways to Help:

Please, speak up to support FWC’s proposed protections for Biscayne’s spawning bonefish!

Submit a public comment using this form. 

Help spread awareness on social media. Here's a sample post:

Protect Florida’s bonefish population! I support @MyFWC’s proposed rule change to protect an important bonefish spawning site in Biscayne National Park. The rule change would close a small area in the park (less than 2 square miles!) to fishing during peak bonefish spawning season. I stand with @bonefishtarpontrust behind this science-led conservation measure that will help the next generation of Florida's bonefish thrive. Learn more and submit a public comment here: BTT.org/Protect-Florida-Bonefish