Long-Term Black Bass Management Plan--First draft survey

Thank you for your interest in the Florida Black Bass Management Plan (BBMP) for 2010-2030. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) staff have spent the past six months seeking public input to identify issues and possible solutions to incorporate into this first draft. We need your continued input to make it better, so that the plan will work for you. It is still very flexible.

Nearly 5,000 people completed the first survey or spoke with our biologists. Their input was reviewed by a Technical Assistance Group (TAG) representing a variety of stakeholder groups, such as avid anglers, tackle shop owners, lure manufacturers, tournament anglers, fishing guides, outdoor writers, university researchers and tourism destination marketers. Subsequently, fishery biologists, law enforcement officers, research scientists and program administrators made their best effort to flesh out a series of action items to implement proposed solutions to problems identified by the public. They also attempted to provide adequate background to document the current situation and tools available to fisheries biologists to improve your bass fishing enjoyment, compiled an extensive glossary to explain some of the terms and acronyms the general public may not routinely encounter, and added a series of literature references for further information. Finally, some of the more complex issues have a pro-con dialogue available to help inform you and other stakeholders of the complexities of some of these management issues, where multiple users and interests must be accommodated.

We realize the amount of information contained here may be more than many of you wish to wade through. Therefore, this survey is formatted as an outline to allow you to comment on the sections that are of interest to you, and skip those areas you choose not to read. However, the entire Florida Black Bass Management Plan can be downloaded as BBMP_Draft (PDF 435kb), if you choose.

We look forward to your input, and ask that you please respond by October 18, 2010, so we can compile public comments, discuss them with the TAG and our staff and create an even more refined plan. Together we will make Florida the undisputed “Bass Fishing Capital of the World.”

When you are finished you can choose any or all of the following incentives: a free pair of Rapala fishing pliers and copy of North American Fisherman Magazine, free entry into the Bounty Fishing community and a $20 discount for your first tournament (Tournaments cost $7-$100 depending on the award, you can photograph your catch and release it), and a free 6-month subscription to Florida Wildlife Magazine. (Note: Neither the FWC nor state of Florida endorse any individual company, and the sponsors are solely responsible for their products and fulfillment of any offers.)

Thank you for participating,

Tom Champeau, Director
Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management