Well it was in the works for nearly 5 years now, the bag limit for Barracudas is a reality. This is a fish that is thought to be a great game fish by many and a pest by many others. It is not unusual for one to loose a fine fish to one of these sharp toothed predators. Barracudas often cut fishing line when wire is not used. Many people just catch them and throw them on the deck, some use it as bait, and some like to eat it and risk ciguatera. As more and more people begin to call South Florida their home we are seeing a decline in our fish population. FWC is working to create many closures and changes on regulations such as the new talked about Hogfish and Yellow Tail snapper regulations and closures. There is even talk about increasing sanctuary designations around Key Biscayne National Park all the way to the Dry Tortugas. Keep informed as regulations are changing on the whim and you might unknowingly end up breaking the law in Florida. Before fishing take a look at http://www.myfwc.com website for up to date regulations not shown on the distributed prints at local baits shops and other stores. From an FWC email:
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at its Sept. 3 meeting in Fort Lauderdale approved new recreational and commercial bag limits for barracuda for waters off south Florida.
The changes will apply in state and federal waters off Collier, Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties only, and will include a:
- Recreational and commercial daily bag limit of two fish per person and
- Recreational and commercial daily vessel limit of six fish per vessel.
These new limits will be effective Nov. 1, 2015.
A Barracuda I caught a couple of years back.
ShoreBound Adventures 