 Tyson Albert shows off his red drum. Photo by Curtis Moore.
Submit your photos by emailing them to Saltwater@MyFWC.com.
Gray Triggerfish
Gulf season remains closed through Dec. 31, 2017
Information: The recreational harvest season for gray
triggerfish in Gulf of Mexico state and federal waters will remain closed Jan.
1 through Dec. 31, 2017. The FWC will consider a potential limited season for
fall 2017 at an upcoming meeting in an effort to provide fishing opportunities
to Gulf anglers, however, the season in state waters will not reopen on Jan. 1
as regularly scheduled.
Link for more information:
Triggerfish [MyFWC.com]
Greater Amberjack
Gulf season opens Jan. 1
Information: The recreational harvest season for greater
amberjack in Gulf state and federal waters will open Jan. 1.
Link for more information:
Amberjack [MyFWC.com]
Barracuda
South Florida size limits effective Jan. 1
Information: The following changes will be effective in
state and federal waters off Collier, Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach
and Martin counties only:
- A recreational and commercial slot limit of 15
to 36 inches fork length.
- Allowing the harvest of one fish larger than 36
inches per person or vessel per day, whichever is less.
- The recreational and commercial daily limits of
2 barracuda per person, with a max of 6 per vessel, that were established in
2015 remain in effect for these counties.
Links for more information:
Barracuda
[MyFWC.com]
Mutton snapper
Management changes effective Jan. 1
Information: Upcoming changes include:
- Recreational, commercial, importation and sale
minimum size limits will be 18 inches in all state waters.
- Recreational bag limit will be five fish per
person within the 10-fish snapper aggregate bag limit in all state waters.
- Commercial trip limit will be five fish per
person, per day or per trip, whichever is more restrictive, from April through
June in Atlantic state waters (this will replace the previous May through June
commercial trip limit that was effective for all state waters).
- A 500-pound commercial trip limit for the
remainder of the year (July through March) in Atlantic state waters.
Link for more information:
Snapper [MyFWC.com]
Gag grouper
Gulf season closes in most state
and all federal waters Jan. 1
Information: The recreational harvest season for gag closes
in most Gulf state waters and all Gulf federal waters Jan. 1. This is an annual
closure and the season will reopen June 1. State waters off Franklin, Wakulla,
Jefferson and Taylor counties are not included because they are open from April
1 through June 30 only. Monroe County follows Atlantic rules for gag grouper.
Link for more information:
Grouper [MyFWC.com]
Atlantic grouper
Season closes Jan. 1
Information: Several species of grouper will close to
recreational and commercial harvest starting Jan. 1 in Florida state and
federal waters of the Atlantic, including Monroe County. This seasonal closure
includes gag, black, red, yellowmouth, and yellowfin grouper; scamp; red hind;
rock hind; coney; and graysby. State waters in the Atlantic are from shore out
to 3 nautical miles.
The harvest of these species of grouper in Atlantic state
waters will remain closed through April 30, reopening May 1.
Link for more information:
Grouper [MyFWC.com]
Blue Crab
Regional
trap closure Jan. 5-14
Information: Recreational and commercial blue crab traps
must be removed from all state waters from Franklin County to the
Florida/Alabama state line before Jan. 5. Traps can be placed back in the water
Jan. 15. Closures occasionally end early. Visit MyFWC.com for updates.
This regional blue crab trap closure allows FWC to identify
and retrieve lost and abandoned blue crab traps from Florida waters. Lost and
abandoned traps can continue to trap crabs and fish when left in the water, can
damage sensitive habitats and pose navigational hazards.
Harvest of blue crabs by other gear, such as dip nets and
fold-up traps, is permitted during the closure. Traps attached to private
property such as a dock may remain in the water during this closure.
Links for more information:
Blue Crab
[MyFWC.com]
New Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs
Catch a Florida Memory today
Information: We all know fishing has its own rewards, but
turn them into something tangible by participating in one of the FWC’s new
Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs.
There are three programs you can participate in, two of
which are brand new:
- Saltwater Fish Life List: A list of 71 different
species. Can you catch them all?
- Saltwater Reel Big Fish: Recognition for
extraordinary-sized catches.
- Saltwater Grand Slams: Earn rewards for catching
3 different specified species in a 24-hour period.
Link for more information:
CatchaFloridaMemory.com
Lionfish Panhandle Pilot Program
Get rewarded for your lionfish removals in
7-county region
Information: It’s not too late to earn your opportunity to
harvest an extra red grouper or cobia. 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 an extra legal-sized
red grouper or cobia over the bag limit from state waters. All other size and
season regulations still apply. The state will issue up to 100 red grouper and
30 cobia tags in total to successful participants in the pilot program. In
addition, the first 10 persons or groups that harvest 500 or more lionfish
during this one-year period will be given the opportunity to name an artificial
reef.
Link for more information:
Panhandle
Pilot Program [MyFWC.com]
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