Popular Florida fish now has a new name
According to the FWC, the state’s record for the largemouth bass stands at 17.27 pounds, which was caught in Central Florida in 1986.
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Sunshine State’s most popular freshwater fish now has a new name thanks to years of studies and suspicions.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced Wednesday that many largemouth bass would now be known as the Florida bass.
University researchers used genetic analysis to determine that some largemouth bass are indeed their own species.
The scientific name of Micropterus salmoides will now be used to identify Florida bass, while largemouth bass will be known by the new name of Micropterus nigricans.
"Understanding and conserving fish species is crucial for sustainable recreational fishing and biodiversity preservation. The classification of species plays a key role in these efforts," the FWC stated.
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UNSPECIFIED - CIRCA 2002: Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides), also known as Black Bass or Bigmouth, Centrarchidae.
(Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Additionally, researchers said the range of the bass appears to be larger than what was originally thought, with its habitat ranging from North Carolina to the east and west coasts of the Sunshine State.
The average size of a Florida bass is less than 10 pounds, and they tend to congregate near docks and other pilings in the state’s many freshwater and brackish waterways.
The FWC states that the species’ name change will alter how the fish is referenced in regulations and official notices, but it will not affect fishing.
Those who participate in the sport will not be able to tell the difference between the two fish without scientific testing.
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The state’s record for the largest largemouth bass stands at 17.27 pounds, which was set in Central Florida back in 1986.
The FWC said fishing regulations will remain in place for both species.
The daily catch limit for freshwater bass is five, with only one allowed to be 16 inches or longer.
Florida, Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area, Fishing Regulations Sign.
(Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)