2017 Lionfish World Championship Winners in Pensacola at Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day. Learn more at Reefrangers.com.
Submit your photos by emailing them to Saltwater@MyFWC.com.
2017 Lionfish Challenge
Action: Revamped program has commercial and
recreational categories
Information: Remove 25 or more lionfish (or sell at least 25
pounds commercially) between Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day (May 20, 2017)
and Labor Day (Sept. 4, 2017) to enter the FWC’s Lionfish Challenge and be
eligible to win prizes. The recreational and commercial harvesters who check in
the most lionfish will be crowned Florida’s recreational Lionfish King or Queen
and Commercial Champion, respectively.
Links for more information:
Lionfish
Challenge [MyFWC.com]
Snook - Atlantic
Action: Season closes June 1 in state and federal waters
Information: The
recreational snook season in Atlantic state and federal waters closes June 1,
reopening to harvest Sept. 1. This includes all waters of Lake Okeechobee and
the Kissimmee River. Gulf state and federal waters also closed. All Gulf and
Atlantic state and federal waters will reopen Sept. 1.
Links for more information:
Snook
[MyFWC.com]
Gag Grouper - Gulf
Action: Recreational season starts June 1 in most state waters
Information: The
recreational gag grouper season starts June 1 in most state and all federal
Gulf of Mexico waters. This season will remain open through Dec. 31, closing Jan.
1, 2018.
Monroe
County follows Atlantic regulations and is open from May 1-Dec. 31.
State
waters off Franklin, Wakulla, Taylor and Jefferson counties are open April
1-June 30. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will discuss adding
a fall open season for the four-county area at the July Commission meeting in
Orlando. Learn more or comment on these changes at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments. For your comments to be considered at the July 10-11 Commission
meeting, please submit input no later than May 31.
Links for more information:
Grouper
[MyFWC.com]
Bay Scallops
Action: Recreational season Fenholloway
River to Suwannee River opens
Information: The recreational season for bay scallops opens
in state waters from the Fenholloway River to the Suwannee River starting June
16. This season will remain open through Sept. 10 and includes a portion of Taylor
County and all of Dixie County.
Links for more information:
Scallops
[MyFWC.com]
Red Snapper – Gulf
Action: State recreational season continues through July 9
Information:
Recreational season in state waters will remain open daily through July 9. The
season will reopen Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in September and October, and
on Labor Day.
The
recreational season in Gulf federal waters is June 1-3 for private anglers and
June 1 through July 19 for federally permitted for-hire vessels such as charter
boats and head boats.
Links for more information:
Snapper
[MyFWC.com]
FWC needs your feedback
Information: FWC is collecting feedback on several fisheries
including cobia, sheepshead, tripletail and flounder.
Provide comments online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.
Link for more information:
Saltwater Comments [MyFWC.com]
Gulf Reef Fish Survey
Attention Gulf Anglers Information: Snapper and grouper season is here. That means
it is time to sign up for or renew your participation in the Gulf Reef Fish
Survey. Registration for this survey is required for all anglers (including
those exempt from licensing requirements) fishing from a private vessel for the
following reef species in the Gulf: red and vermilion snapper; gag, red, and
black grouper; greater and 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 sign up or
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.
Links for more information:
Gulf
Reef Fish Survey [MyFWC.com]
Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs
Catch a Florida Memory today
Information: Participation in any of these three programs
encourages ethical angling while earning rewards 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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