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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wants public input on a final rule proposal that, if approved at the March commission meeting, would allow a limited, highly regulated harvest of goliath grouper in Florida state waters.

The proposal includes a special opportunity for harvest through a lottery draw, while enacting area and seasonal closures, size and gear restrictions, and post-harvest requirements. The limited harvest would allow users additional access opportunities to the species and provide researchers with needed biological data, while allowing the population to continue to rebuild and excluding harvest from areas of heavy dive ecotourism.

Based on commission direction at the October meeting, updates to the draft proposal have been incorporated, including new proposed rules to reduce impacts of catch-and-release fishing on goliath spawning aggregations in state waters.

The public can provide input at an online workshop on Jan. 13 at noon. For more information on how to participate, visit “http://MyFWC.com/marine”>MyFWC.com/marine and then click on “Rulemaking” and “Workshops.” People can also contact the Division of Marine Fisheries Management at 850-487-0554 for more information.

Those who cannot attend the workshop can visit “http://MyFWC.com/Saltwater”>MyFWC.com/Saltwater Comments and click on “Workshops” to submit comments. A recorded presentation will later be posted on the page.