What effect will this clarification have on snook stocks?
If you were not squeezing the tail before, there is approximately a 0.77 inch difference between a relaxed tail and a squeezed tail. However, because of the variation in size-at-age, squeezing the tail will have a small effect on the overall snook stock. Due to public concern about the status of snook stocks, the FWC voted at its June 2006 Commission meeting to shift the snook slot from 26 – 34 inches to 27 – 34 inches in order to negate any potential negative effects on snook stocks. This shift will result in a 22% harvest reduction on the Gulf coast and a 12% reduction on the Atlantic coast according to the most recent snook stock assessment. The change is predicted to result in an increase in spawning potential ratio (SPR) by 7% on the Gulf coast and 5% on the Atlantic coast.
