The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Florida Marine Research Institute requests the cooperation of recreational anglers in collecting valuable biological data on the state’s premier inshore game fish, the common snook (Centropomus undecimalis).Scientists at the institute ask that snook anglers save filleted carcasses and deliver them to participating tackle shops. The snook carcasses will provide information on the size, age, maturity and sex of the catch. Funding for this project comes from saltwater fishing license revenues, snook stamp sales and the sportfish restoration program.Questions? For information concerning common snook, contact Jim Whittington, Alexis Trotter or Warren Mitchell at 561-575-5407. To view photographs of common snook, visit www.floridamarine.org.Guidelines for donating snook carcasses:
- All sport-fishing regulations apply. Only donate legal-sized fish during snook season.
- Donate all legal-sized fish that are harvested. (Donating only large fish willbias the data.)
- Donate as many fish and as often as you can, however, do not target and harvest fish exclusively for the program. Keep only those snook you would normally keep.
- Donate both tagged and untagged fish. If a snook is tagged, please report necessary tag information to the Tagged Fish Hotline at 1-800-367-4461.
- When filleting, please leave all internal organs intact. Official drop-off locations:Melbourne Beach: Whitey’s Bait and Tackle Sebastian: Sebastian Inlet Bait and TackleFt. Pierce: White’s Tackle Shop Jensen Beach: Snook Nook Stuart: Gaffer’s Bait and TackleJupiter: Fishing HeadquartersNorth Palm Beach: Lott Bros. Florida City: Jack’s Bait and Tackle Ft. Lauderdale: Kingsbury Tackle Miami: High Tailin-it or Pirate’s Den Bait and Tackle at Black Pt. MarinaHomestead: Don’s Bait and Tackle or A-OK Fish ”N” Bait Naples: Boat Haven or Angler’s AnswerMarco Island: Marco River Marina or Moran’s Barge MarinaFt. Myers: Lehr’s Economy Tackle Shop or Shack Baits or The Bait HouseMatlacha: Seven Seas Bait and Tackle
