Red snapper caught by Jeff Hudson.
Share your photos by emailing them to Saltwater@MyFWC.com.
Commission Meeting – Tallahassee
Marine Fisheries items to be discussed
Information:
The FWC Commission will listen to public testimony on and discuss several
marine fisheries management items at the April 20 meeting in Tallahassee.
Regulation changes (final decisions on these topics will be
made at this meeting):
- Red snapper: Considering a recreational season
in Gulf state waters that would be similar to the 2016 season and result in 78
fishing days for 2017. To comment on this season, visit MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments
no later than April 12.
- King
mackerel: Federal consistency item that would revise the management boundary
between the Gulf/Monroe County and the Atlantic king mackerel fisheries,
streamline commercial king mackerel fishery regulations, and increase the Gulf
and Monroe County recreational bag limit from two to three fish per person.
- Warren
Bayou (Bay County): A proposal to allow harvest in the waters of Warren Bayou year-round,
by repealing the current November through February closure.
Draft regulation changes (all items in this section are
slated to be brought back to a Commission meeting at a later date for final
decision):
- Gag grouper: The Commission expressed interest in
making changes to the recreational gag grouper season in Franklin, Wakulla,
Jefferson and Taylor counties. Staff have received stakeholder requests for a
longer season in this area, which is currently open yearly from April 1 through
June 30. Gulf state waters outside of that area and all Gulf federal waters are
open June 1 through Dec. 31. Staff are gathering public input on this topic and held public workshops
in the region. Comment at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments by April 12. This item will be brought back for a final public
hearing at the July Commission meeting.
Discussions:
- Federal fishery management updates
- Gray triggerfish: Update and discussion of possible
limited fall 2017 recreational season in Gulf state waters. Staff are gathering
public input on this topic. Provide comments online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments
by April 12 to have them considered at the April Commission meeting.
- Lionfish Challenge 2017: Review and discussion
on a proposed 2017 Lionfish Challenge removal and incentive program. The
proposed challenge this year will be statewide and will include commercial and
recreational categories.
- 2017-18 Marine Fisheries Management Workplan
Links for more information:
Agenda
[MyFWC.com]
Gag Grouper – 4-county region
Season opens April 1
Information: The recreational harvest season for gag grouper
in Gulf state waters off Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties opens
April 1.
This region will remain open through June 30 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 24
inches total length and the bag limit is two per person in Gulf state waters.
FWC staff have
received stakeholder requests for a longer season in this area, and are gathering
public input on potential changes. At the April 19-20 Commission meeting in
Tallahassee, staff plan to present a draft proposal keeping the April through
June season in this area and adding a September through December season. If this proposal is approved, it will need to come back before the
Commission in June for final approval, but could be in place in time for
anglers to participate in a fall season later this year. Visit
MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments to learn more or to submit written input. For your comments to
be considered at the April meeting, please submit input no later than
April 12.
Link for more information:
Groupers [MyFWC.com]
Spiny Lobster
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 26 and 27 this year.
Links for more information:
Spiny
Lobster [MyFWC.com]
Gulf Reef Fish Survey
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 from a private vessel for the
following 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]
Flounder, Sheepshead, Tripletail
FWC needs your feedback
Information: FWC is collecting feedback on Florida’s
flounder, sheepshead and tripletail fisheries. If you fish for any of these
three species, we’d like to know more about:
- Whether you actively target them or if you catch
them while targeting other species
- How you fish for them (hook-and-line, etc.)
- If those fisheries are seasonal in your area
- When and where you target them
- Your thoughts on how these fisheries are doing,
compared to the past and/or compared to other fisheries
- Your thoughts on current management of these
species
Provide comments online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.
Link for more information:
Saltwater Comments [MyFWC.com]
Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs
Catch a Florida Memory today
Information: Participating in one of these three programs encourages ethical angling while rewarding you for your efforts.
- Saltwater Fish Life List: A list of 71 different species. Can you catch them all?
- Saltwater Reel Big Fish: Recognition for extraordinarily-sized catches.
- Saltwater Grand Slams: Earn rewards for catching three different specified species in a 24-hour period.
Link for more information:
CatchaFloridaMemory.com
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Lionfish Panhandle Pilot Program
Last chance to participate, programs ends
May 19
Information: Remove 100 lionfish from Escambia, Santa Rosa,
Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf and Franklin counties before May 19, 2017, to get a
tag allowing for either an extra legal-sized red grouper or cobia over the bag
limit from state waters. 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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