Tarpon, Bonefish Could Become Catch-and-Release Only

It's no secret Land O' Lakes residents love their fishing. While freshwater catches are the order in town, many local outdoors lovers also make the trek to saltwater to cast a line.

A proposal by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission could make tarpon and bonefish catch-and-release only, changing the rules of the game for Land O' Lakes fishing enthusiasts.

According to the FWC, the proposal includes the following potential changes for management in state and federal waters off Florida:

• Eliminating all harvest of tarpon with the exception of the harvest or possession of a single tarpon when in pursuit of an IGFA record and in conjunction with a tarpon tag.
• Keeping the tarpon tag price at $50 per tag but limiting them to one tag per person, per year.
• Modifying the tarpon tag program, including reporting requirements and shifting the start and end date for when the tarpon tag is valid.
• Discontinuing the bonefish tournament exemption permit that allows tournament anglers to temporarily possess bonefish for transport to a tournament scale.

The proposal will voted on a final time by the FWC at its June meeting, a news release said.  

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