FWC's Fishing in the Know Monthly Newsletter

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May 2016

FWC's Fishing in the Know

Division of Marine Fisheries Management Monthly Newsletter

Wahoo Sean Skakandy

Sean Skakandy and a wahoo.

Submit your photos by emailing them to Saltwater@MyFWC.com.

Commission Meeting Updates

Action: Marine Fisheries Management items discussed at April meeting in Jupiter

Discussions:

  • Federal fishery management updates

Regulatory changes:

  • Red drum daily bag limit in northwest management zone lowered to 1 fish per person starting May 1
  • Lionfish: Two-part removal program approved; starts May 14
  • Red snapper (Gulf): Recreational season in state waters set to 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: Modification of rules for species that have been removed from federal management
  • Gray triggerfish will likely close early in Gulf federal waters and if so, it will also close early in state waters.

Links for more information:

Agenda [MyFWC.com]

News Releases [MyFWC.com]

Red Drum Mike Foate

Red Drum

Action: Daily bag limit lowered to 1 in northwest zone

Information: The recreational daily bag limit in the northwest zone of Florida will be lowered from 2 to 1 starting May 1. This zone is from Escambia County through Fred Howard Park near the border of Pasco and Pinellas counties. As a result of this change, the red drum bag limit will be 1 along the entire Gulf coast.

This is a precautionary measure. Staff will continue gathering public input on red drum populations and management through the end of May. The Commission will consider whether this region-wide bag limit reduction is appropriate as a long-term management measure at the June meeting in the Apalachicola area.

Links for more information:

Red Drum [MyFWC.com]

Red Drum Survey [MyFWC.com]

Facebook Page [Facebook.com/RedDrum2016]

Red Drum Zone Map

Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day

Action: Celebrate with us May 14 and 15

Information: Join the FWC in celebrating the second annual Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day (Saturday, May 14) by attending one of many exciting events across the state including a festival 2-day in Pensacola and several statewide removal events.

Links for more information:

Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day [MyFWC.com]

Lionfish Challenge

Action: Remove 50 lionfish, get rewarded

Information: Remove 50 or more lionfish between Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day (May 14, 2016) and the end of September to get entered in the FWC’s Lionfish Challenge. The person who “checks in” the most lionfish will be crowned Florida’s Lionfish King or Queen. Visit MyFWC.com/Lionfish and click on “Lionfish Challenge” to learn more.

Links for more information:

Lionfish Challenge [MyFWC.com]

Lionfish Panhandle Pilot Program

Action: Program in 7-county region focuses on lionfish removal

Information: For every 100 lionfish harvested from Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf and Franklin counties, between May 2016 and May 2017, the harvester will be eligible to receive a tag allowing them to take either a legal-sized red grouper or a legal-sized cobia that is over the bag limit from state waters. The state will issue 100 red grouper and 30 cobia tags in total to successful participants in the pilot program. In addition, any person or group that harvests 500 or more lionfish during this one-year period will be given the opportunity to name an artificial reef.

Links for more information:

Panhandle Pilot Program [MyFWC.com]

Red Snapper – Gulf State Season

Action: State recreational season starts in May

Information: Recreational season in state waters set to 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.

Links for more information:

Snapper [MyFWC.com]

Grouper - Atlantic

Action: Recreational season opens May 1

Information: The recreational season for gag, black, red, yellowmouth, yellowfin and tiger grouper; scamp; red hind; rock hind; coney; and graysby; opens May 1 in Atlantic state waters, including all of Monroe County.

Links for more information:

Groupers [MyFWC.com]

Snook - Gulf

Action: Season closes May 1

Information: Snook will close to all harvest in Gulf state, federal and inland waters, including all of Monroe County and Everglades National Park, starting May 1.  

Links for more information:

Snook [MyFWC.com]

Stone Crab

Action: Season closes May 16

Information: Recreational and commercial stone crab season closes May 16 in state waters.  

Links for more information:

Stone crab [MyFWC.com]

IN THIS ISSUE

Commission Meeting

 

Red Drum

 

Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day

 

Lionfish Challenge

 

Lionfish Panhandle Pilot Program

 

Red Snapper – Gulf

 

Grouper – Atlantic

 

Snook – Gulf

 

Stone Crab

STATE SEASON UPDATES

May-June

State waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles in the Gulf and from shore to 3 nautical miles in the Atlantic.  

May 1 –

Grouper (Atlantic) opens

Snook (Gulf) closes

May 7 –

Red Snapper (Gulf) opens weekends through May 28

May 16 –

Stone crab closes

May 28 –

Red snapper (Gulf) opens through July 14

June 1 –

Gray triggerfish (Gulf) closes

Snook (Atlantic) closes

Amberjack, Greater (Gulf) closes

June 25 –

Bay scallops opens

 

Sheepshead Susie Thompson

Susie Thompson with a sheepshead.

EVENTS

May-June

Lionfish Events Calendar

 

May 7 – Women’s Fishing Clinic – Apollo Beach

 

May 14-15 – Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day Festival and events

 

May 21 – Kids’ Fishing Clinic – Fernandina

 

June 4 – Women’s Fishing Clinic – St. George Island

 

June 4-5 – Saltwater License Free Fishing Day

 

June 11-12 – Freshwater License Free Fishing Day

 

June 22-23 – FWC Commission Meeting – Apalachicola Area

 

June 25 – Kids’ Fishing Clinic – Port Canaveral

Contact: 850-487-0554 or marine@myfwc.com

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