Okaloosa County BOCC — February 18, 2014 — Lionfish Resolution

RESOLUTION NO. 14-_______ A RESOLUTION OF OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA, IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATIVE ACTION THAT WILL LEAD TO CONTROL OF LIONFISH POPULATION IN THE GULF OF MEXICO WHEREAS the invasive lionfish have no natural predators in the waters off Florida, begin reproducing at under one year of age, release 2 million eggs per year and consume native fish at unsustainable rates; and WHEREAS in October 2013, 1,540 native fish were brought in by 1,192 fishermen during the 2013 Destin Rodeo and during that same time frame, 1,737 invasive lionfish were brought in during the Emerald Coast Reef Association Lionfish Tournament by 16 divers, Okaloosa County acknowledges that the lionfish is reproducing at an alarming rate, threatening the fishing industry; and WHEREAS critical stock rebuilding efforts for commercially and recreationally important species may soon be negatively impacted by the uncontrolled populations of lionfish eating future years fish stocks; and WHEREAS without immediate and aggressive lionfish population control measures, Okaloosa County will suffer economic losses to multiple industries including but not limited to: Tourism, Charter and Private Recreational Fishing, Commercial fishing, Boating Industry, Marina industry, Dive Industry, Bait and Tackle and Bank Loans and Insurance; and WHEREAS lionfish rarely bite fish hooks and the only effective method of population control, at this time, is spearing by scuba divers; and WHEREAS it has been scientifically proven that regular lionfish removal efforts are effective in improving native fish recruitment to insure the future health and sustainability of our native fish species and removing 1,000 lionfish removes up to 1 billion lionfish eggs thereby removing future breeding lionfish from the Gulf of Mexico; WHEREAS Okaloosa County’s Coastal economy depends on maintaining a healthy and sustainable fishery with access to fishermen , and beaches free of the threat of an invasive venomous fish harming our residents and tourists; NOW, THERFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners supports legislative action that will lead to implementation of a viable, aggressive, lionfish population control program that will successfully motivate scuba divers to remove lionfish aggressively year round, until a scientific solution can be found .  DULY PASSED AND ADOPTED this 18th day of February, 2014. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA CHARLES K. WINDES, JR., CHAIRMAN ATTEST: DON W. HOWARD CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT