 Red drum caught by Larry Williams and Jennifer Hebert.
Submit your photos by emailing them to Saltwater@MyFWC.com.
Commission Meeting – April
Action: Marine Fisheries Management items
will be discussed in Jupiter
Information: Items on the agenda include:
Discussions on:
- Federal fishery management updates
- Lionfish Removal Outreach and Reward Program: Review of 2015 special lionfish removal opportunity during lobster sport season; discuss opportunities for expanding the program in 2016.
- Red Drum Stakeholder Engagement update
Potential regulatory changes on:
- Red snapper (Gulf): Final public hearing for the 2016 recreational season in state waters. Proposed season would open Saturdays and Sundays in May starting May 7; then open May 28 through July 10 continuously; and open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in September and October, and on Labor Day.
- Reef fish species: Modification of rules for species that have been removed from federal management.
Links for more information:
Agenda
[MyFWC.com]
Gag grouper - Gulf
Action: Four counties open April 1 to recreational
harvest
Information: Information: State waters off the coast of Franklin,
Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties open to recreational harvest of gag
grouper April 1. This region will remain open through June 30, closing July 1
and includes all waters of Apalachicola Bay and Indian Pass, including those in
Gulf County, and all waters of the Steinhatchee River, including those in Dixie
County. State waters in the Gulf are from shore to 9 nautical miles.
The minimum size limit is 22 inches total length but this is
expected to change to 24 inches total length sometime this spring.
In addition, the gag grouper season in the remainder of Gulf
of Mexico state waters also is expected to change from July 1 through Dec. 3 to June 1 through Dec. 31. The same
season also is expected to be set in Gulf federal waters. A news release will
be issued when the size limit and season changes. These changes will be posted
online and can be found at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater” and
“Recreational Regulations.” State waters off Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson and
Taylor counties will not be open July-through-December. Monroe County state
waters, which are closed Jan. 1-April 30
to grouper harvest, follow Atlantic grouper rules.
The
bag limit is two per person in Gulf
state waters.
Links for more information:
Gulf
Grouper [MyFWC.com]
Map
[MyFWC.com]
Spiny Lobster
Action: Season closes April 1
Information: Recreational and commercial spiny lobster seasons close
April 1 and will reopen Aug. 6. The two-day recreational sport season is the
last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July, which is July 27 and 28 this
year.
Links for more information:
Spiny Lobster
[MyFWC.com]
Gulf Reef Fish Survey
Action: Attention Gulf Anglers
Information: Snapper and grouper season is right around the
corner. That means it is time to sign up for or renew your participation in the
Gulf Reef Fish Survey if you plan to fish for reef species in the Gulf this
year: red and vermilion snapper; gag, red, and black grouper; greater
amberjack, lesser amberjack; banded rudderfish; almaco jack; and gray
triggerfish.
To renew online, visit GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
If you are NOT a Gulf reef fish angler and don’t plan on
fishing for these reef species in the Gulf this year, please do not renew your
participation in the Gulf Reef Fish Survey. By only sampling anglers who plan
on fishing for those species, Florida is improving recreational data
collection. Questions? Contact us at Marine@MyFWC.com.
Just a reminder – renewing the Gulf Reef Fish Survey does
not renew your fishing license, so if needed, remember to renew that as well!
Thank you for helping Florida collect more timely and
accurate data on Gulf reef fish harvest.
Links for more information:
Gulf
Reef Fish Survey [MyFWC.com]
Red Drum Stakeholder Engagement
Action: FWC wants to hear from you
Information: Let us know how you think red drum are doing
and what your thoughts are on the current bag limits. Visit MyFWC.com/RedDrum2016
to learn more and take our survey. FWC staff will also be visiting fishing
clubs, boat shows and retail outlets
during April to gather public input. Check the website or our Facebook
page, Facebook.com/RedDrum2016,
for updates about where to find us.
Links for more information:
Red
Drum Engagement [MyFWC.com]
Facebook
page [Facebook.com/RedDrum2016]
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