Florida Keys sport fishermen face catch limits and new permit costs for one of the most popular deep-sea pursuits: dolphin.

Roughly 3 million pounds of dolphin fish -- often called mahi mahi in the restaurants so people don't confuse it with the mammal dolphin -- are caught each year off the coast of Florida, according to National Marine Fisheries Service. The South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council, which oversees fishing on Florida's east coast, is proposing guidelines that would set bag limits and size requirements for sport and commercial fishermen. The proposal would go before National Marine Fisheries Services in December for approval.

Rules, which could go into effect next year, would also call for special permits to catch and sell the fish. The permits would cost roughly $50 to sell and $50 to catch.

Anglers would only be allowed to catch 10 per person or 60 per boat, with the minimum length being 20 inches, said Steve Brandstetter, management specialist for National Marine Fisheries Service. It is not uncommon for sport fishermen to bring in buckets of small dolphin, or schoolies as they are commonly called, when the larger bulls and cows are not migrating through the area.

"That's the point: to stop the guys from bringing in baskets full of schoolies," Brandstetter said.

Brandstetter is soliciting input from fishermen through Nov. 25 and the proposal will go before National Marine Fisheries officials by Dec. 24, he said. Douglas Gregory, who is with Monroe County Extension Service, has been busy this week disseminating copies of the proposed regulations to sport fishermen and associations.

National Marine Fisheries officials have seen a steady increase in the commercial and recreational catch nationwide. The goal of the proposal is to make sure the dolphin population remains healthy, Brandstetter said.

The dolphin run between Florida and North Carolina. Nationally the recreational catch has increased from 8 million pounds a year in the 1980s to 13 million in 2001, records show.

Federal officials have been talking about creating requirements for years. The discussion started when commercial fishermen off Georgia began increasing their catch and there was a fear of long-line fishing for the migratory fish off the East Coast.

Florida dwarfs other states when it comes to the dolphin catch, with anglers here catching several million more pounds a year than anglers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Dolphin fishing brings thousands of anglers to the Keys each summer.

The proposal isn't being met with too much resistance in the Keys so far. Greg DiDominico, executive director of the Monroe County Commercial Fishermen, has reviewed it and found few problems with the proposal. Many of the people who sell the fish commercially are charter boat captains.

Sport fishing boat Capt. Steve Leopold, who is also president of the Islamorada Charter Boat Association, has also reviewed it and believes it is a good plan.

"I hate to see people kill too many schoolies," Leopold said. "These new restrictions don't bother me. If people aren't doing the right thing and following common sense, you need to put restrictions on it."

However, he was not thrilled with the idea of paying for another permit, he said.

Written comments on the proposed guidelines should be sent to Brandstetter at Southeast Region of NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Dr. North, St. Petersburg Fla., 33702. Comments may also be sent via fax to (727) 570-5583. Comments cannot be e-mailed. For more information call Brandstetter at (727) 570-5583.