Have amazing fish photos?
FWC is looking for a cover shot for the 2018 Saltwater Regulations Publication. Photo needs to be high quality and vertically oriented. Prefer sailfish, but all photos welcome.
Submit your photos by emailing them to Saltwater@MyFWC.com. Learn more about our photo guidelines.
Photo courtesy of Jose Juncadello
Goliath Grouper Workshops
Action: Share your input on
goliath grouper management
Information: FWC hosted
several in-person workshops in July and August and will host several more in
October to gather public input on goliath grouper management, including the
possibility of a limited harvest in Florida state waters.
An on-demand virtual workshop and workshop survey
for this species is also available online and can be found by visiting
MyFWC.com/Fishing and clicking “Saltwater Fishing,” “Public Comments/Workshops”
and “Workshops.”
Upcoming workshops are currently scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m.
local time (unless otherwise specified) at the following dates and locations (check
link below
for up-to-date workshop information including event addresses):
- Oct. 9: Jacksonville
- Oct. 10: Titusville
- Oct. 11: Stuart
- Oct. 12: Davie
- Oct. 16: Pinellas Park
- Oct. 17: Port Charlotte
- Oct. 18: Naples
- Oct. 25: Tallahassee (6-9 p.m. ET)
Open-ended public comments may also be submitted online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.
Link for more information:
Workshops [MyFWC.com]
Bay Scallops Workshops
Action: Share your input on bay scallop season structure and more
Information: FWC is hosting several workshops this
October to gather public input on the staggered bay scallop season structure
that was implemented in 2017 and the bay scallop fishery in general.
Upcoming workshops are currently scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m.
local time (unless otherwise specified) at the following dates and locations
(check link
below for up-to-date workshop information including event addresses):
- Oct.
12: Port St. Joe (5:30-7:30 p.m. ET)
- Oct.
16: Steinhatchee
- ·Oct.
17: Land O’Lakes
- Oct.
18: Crystal River
- Oct.
25: Carrabelle
Open-ended public comments may also be submitted online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.
Link for more information:
Workshops
[MyFWC.com]
2017 Lionfish Challenge
Action: Lionfish King and Commercial
Champion winners announced
Information: The 2017 winners of the Lionfish Challenge are Ken
Ayers Jr. of Panama City (recreational category) and Joshua Livingston of
Destin (commercial category). A total of 26,321 lionfish were removed during
the four-month challenge. Ayers removed 1,250 and Livingston removed 4,560
pounds, which equates to about 5,027 fish.
A total of 120 recreational and
commercial harvesters participated in the statewide lionfish removal incentive
program.
This program could not have been possible without the help from 34 dive
shops that served as checkpoints for recreational submissions and the generous
support of the following sponsors: Engel Coolers, ZombieStickz Lionfish
Eliminator and Mote Marine Lab and Aquarium.
While this year’s Lionfish Challenge may be over, there are still
plenty of other great programs that encourage lionfish removal. Check out the
new and improved Reef Rangers website (ReefRangers.com),
which launched Sept. 5. Participants that adopt a reef by Oct. 5 will receive a
Reef Rangers Lionfish Control Team t-shirt and tank sticker.
Link for more information:
Lionfish Challenge [MyFWC.com]
Gray Triggerfish – Gulf
Action: Recreational season resumes Oct. 7
Information: The recreational gray triggerfish season in
Gulf state waters will be open Oct. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22. The weekend of the
21 and 22 was added to offset impacts of Hurricane Irma. Gray triggerfish
remain closed to harvest in Gulf federal waters.
Link for more information:
Triggerfish [MyFWC.com]
Red Snapper - Atlantic Federal
2017 weekend fall season pending
Information:
A potential 2017 weekend fall season in Atlantic federal waters is pending
final approval. Season dates will be posted online at the link below. Red
snapper is open year-round in Atlantic state waters, from shore to 3 nautical
miles.
Link for more
information:
Snappers [MyFWC.com]
Bay Scallops – Gulf County
Action: Gulf County season open Sept. 23-Oct. 8
Information: The bay scallop season in state waters from the Mexico Beach Canal
in Bay County through the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin
County is open for harvest from Sept. 23 through Oct. 8, closing Oct. 9.
The 2017 season was postponed earlier this year due to a naturally
occurring algae bloom that affects shellfish. Recent samples have indicated
that scallops in St. Joseph Bay are safe for human consumption.
All other regulations
apply. The scallop population in Gulf County continues to recover from
a 2015 red tide. Restoration efforts are underway in the southeast area of the
bay, south of Black’s Island. Swimming, boating, fishing or scalloping in the
restoration area marked with FWC buoys is prohibited.
Link for more information:
Scallops
[MyFWC.com]
Commission Meeting – Cancelled
September meeting cancelled
Information: FWC’s top priority is to
provide significant resources to statewide efforts to help our citizens and
visitors recover from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Irma. In order to
assure all resources are focused on recovery efforts, the FWC Commission
meeting that was scheduled for Sept. 27 and 28 has been cancelled. The next
meeting will be held during the week of Dec. 4 in Gainesville.
Link for more information:
Agenda [MyFWC.com]
Stone
Crab – Season Opens
Action: Recreational and commercial
season opens Oct. 15 in state and federal waters
Information:
- Only the claws may be harvested
- Although it is currently lawful to harvest both
of a stone crab's claws, this practice leaves the stone crab with few ways to
defend itself from predators. FWC encourages people to only take a single claw.
- Claws
must be 2 ¾ inches to be harvested
- Recreational
limit: 1 gallon of claws per person, 2 gallons per vessel, whichever is less
- Harvest
of claws from females with eggs is prohibited
- May
16: Season closes
- Do
not use any device that can puncture, crush or injure the crab’s body
- Recreational
harvesters may use up to 5 stone crab traps per person
- The
trap throat (entrance) must be no larger than 5 ½” x 3 1/8” in Collier, Monroe
and Miami-Dade counties. In all other counties, entrances can be no larger than
5 ½” x 3 ½”. Round entrances are not allowed in Collier, Monroe and Miami-Dade
counties and can be no more than 5
inches in diameter elsewhere in the state.
Links for more
information:
Stone Crab Information [MyFWC.com]
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Spotted Seatrout Online Workshop
Action: Share your
input on the future of spotted seatrout management online by attending an on-demand virtual workshop.
Information: This
online workshop includes the same content as what was given at 12 in-person
workshops that were held across the state in July and August.
Learn more about the recent stock assessment and share your
comments on the management of this species.
Open-ended public comments may also be submitted online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.
Link for more information:
Workshops [MyFWC.com]
FWC needs your feedback
Information: FWC
is collecting feedback on several fisheries issues including shrimp, flounder,
and trap fisheries.
Provide comments on these or other fisheries online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.
Link for more information:
Saltwater Comments [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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