P R O J E C T P E R M I T
To address data shortcomings specific to the permit species, the Bonefish Tarpon Trust (BTT) and Costa Sunglasses are initiating a multi-year Permit Research Program in Florida. BTT plans to work with sponsors, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, anglers and guides on this multi-year effort.
In coordination with the BTT, Costa has dedicated fours years of funding to support a state-wide tagging program for permit. In 2010, Costa will make available 6,000 tags for the Permit Tagging Project. The Permit Tagging Project will be a statewide effort encouraging anglers and guides to tag permit. The catch and recapture data will finally inform permit movements in Florida waters, and provide managers with new data that might be applied to management zones. For example: are the permit that spawn on artificial reefs off southwest Florida the same permit that inhabit the Florida Keys, or do they come from elsewhere; are the permit of Florida a single large population, or are permit populations regional?
BTT and Costa sunglasses plan for this project to be just the beginning of a major permit program in Florida. If you fish for permit in the state of Florida, and want to take part in this program, please send us an email.