FWC's Fishing in the Know - July 2018

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July 2018

FWC's Fishing in the Know

Division of Marine Fisheries Management Monthly Newsletter

Designate someone on the boat as the photographer, that way when an angler hooks up with a fish, the photographer is ready to go.

red snapper

Photo by FWC staff.

Submit your photos by emailing them to Saltwater@MyFWC.comLearn more about our photo guidelines.

Red Snapper – Gulf

July 20 is last day of Florida state and federal recreational season 2018

Information: The recreational red snapper season for both Gulf state and federal waters will close July 21, with the last day of harvest being open July 20. This season includes those fishing from private recreational vessels (must sign up for the Gulf Reef Fish Survey and have Gulf Reef Fish Angler on license), and for-hire operations that do not have a federal reef fish permit (may only target snapper in state waters and must have State Gulf Reef Fish Charter on license). Use the iAngler Gulf Red Snapper and iAngler Gulf Red Snapper Charter apps on your mobile device to share your catch data with FWC. See information below for more on the Gulf Reef Fish Survey and on the iAngler apps. The Gulf federal for-hire season (for charters with federal reef fish permits only) is June 1 through July 21.

Note: Red snapper harvest from Atlantic federal waters is currently closed. NOAA Fisheries is expected to announce Atlantic red snapper season dates later this summer.

Links for more information:

Snappers [MyFWC.com]

iAngler Gulf Red Snapper [GulfRedSnapper.org]

Gulf Red Snapper App [Facebook.com]

Gulf Reef Fish Survey [MyFWC.com]

Scallops

Season starts July 1 in Franklin-NW Taylor and Levy-Hernando counties; July 20-29 in Pasco County

Information: The bay scallop season starts July 1 in all state waters from Franklin County through the Fenholloway River in Taylor County (includes Carrabelle, Lanark and St. Marks) and from Levy through Hernando counties (includes Cedar Key, Crystal River and Homosassa). The season will remain open in these areas through Sept. 24. Please do not discard scallop shells in inshore waters commonly used for recreational activities such as the Homosassa or Crystal Rivers.

In Pasco County, the 2018 trial season will be open July 20-29.

Links for more information:

Scallops [MyFWC.com]

Scallop 2018 zone map

Shark-fishing from shore public workshops

Share your management input on this important issue

Information: The FWC needs your input on future management of the shore-based shark fishery. Share your input by attending a workshop in person or by sending us comments online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.

Workshops will begin at 6 p.m. local time:

  • July 18: Bradenton, State College of Florida, Library and Learning Center – Together Manatee Community Room, 5840 26th Street West
  • July 19: Ft. Myers, Joseph P D’Alessandro Office Complex, Room 165 C & D, 2295 Victoria Avenue
  • August 6: Panama City, Gulf Coast State College, The Russell C. Holley and Herbert p. Holley Language and Literature Building, Sarzin Lecture Hall, 5230 West US Highway 98
  • August 7: Pensacola, Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Resource Center – Parks & Recreation Department, City of Pensacola, 913 South I Street
  • August 20: Daytona Beach, Piggotte Community Center, Reception Hall Room, 504 Big Tree Road
  • August 21: Jacksonville, Jacksonville University, J. Henry Gooding Building – Swisher Auditorium, 2800 University Blvd North
  • August 27: Melbourne Beach, Melbourne Beach Community Center, 509 Ocean Avenue
  • August 28: West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Department of Planning, Zoning & Building – The Vista Center, 2300 North Jog Road
  • August 29: Miami, Miami City Hall – Commission Main Chambers, 3500 Pan American Drive
  • August 30: Marathon, City of Key Colony Beach – City Hall, 600 W. Ocean Drive

Links for more information:

Workshops [MyFWC.com]

Sheepshead

Regulations change July 1

Information: Starting July 1, the following changes will be in effect:

  • The recreational bag limit will be lowered to 8 fish per person, per day, year-round.
  • There will be a recreational vessel limit of 50 fish per vessel, per trip during March and April.
  • FWC’s recreational and commercial regulations for this species will extend into federal waters (including the new bag and vessel limits).

Links for more information:

Sheepshead [MyFWC.com]

Tripletail

Regulations change July 1

Information: Starting July 1, the following changes will be in effect:

  • The minimum size limit will increase to 18 inches total length.
  • FWC’s recreational and commercial regulations for this species will extend into federal waters (including only allowing the use of hook-and-line gear and the new size limit).

Links for more information:

Tripletail [MyFWC.com]

Commission meeting – June

Information: The FWC Commission listened to public testimony on and discussed several marine fisheries management items at the June 19-20 meeting in Sarasota. Please visit MyFWC.com and click on “FWC Commission Meetings” and the link for the June meeting to see the agenda. 

Draft rule discussions (these items will be brought back to the September meeting for a final decision):

  • Trap fisheries: Staff reviewed public feedback recently gathered at workshops across the state and presented a series of draft rules to modify the stone crab, blue crab, and spiny lobster trap fishery regulations. Approved draft changes include: creating a mandatory, no-cost annual recreational blue crab and stone crab trap registration for trap fishers age 16 and older and requiring trap identification numbers to be placed on recreational traps; increasing the time allowed for commercial lobster fishers to remove spiny lobster traps from the water after the season ends from five days to 10 days; and starting the commercial spiny lobster trap soak period the Saturday following the recreational mini-season (which occurs the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July). To share your input on these potential changes, visit MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments. The changes to the spiny lobster trap soak period will go into effect prior to the 2018 season via executive order.  
  • Live food shrimp: Demand for food shrimp sold alive has been expanding in recent years. Current regulations require commercially harvested food shrimp to be iced. This proposed rule change will exclude live food shrimp from seafood icing requirements and establish regulations specific to handling of commercially harvested food shrimp sold alive.   

Discussions:

  • Coral reefs: Review and panel discussion on status of Florida coral reefs, response to the current disease event, update on restoration efforts, and an overview of state and federal management partners.

  • Federal fishery management update

Links for more information:

Agenda [MyFWC.com]

News Releases [MyFWC.com]

2018 Lionfish Challenge

Find a tagged fish, win up to $5,000  

Information: The 2018 Lionfish Challenge runs through Sept. 3 and rewards lionfish harvesters with prizes for removing lionfish. This year’s program includes a new tagged-lionfish component. Catch an FWC-tagged lionfish and win up to $5,000. Other prizes will be awarded for lionfish removal, tagged or not. Participants who remove the most lionfish in the recreational and commercial categories will be crowned the 2018 Recreational Lionfish King/Queen and the Commercial Champion. Remove and submit 25 lionfish before spiny lobster mini-season (July 25-26, 2018) and receive a commemorative coin that allows you to take one extra spiny lobster in addition to your bag limit daily. You must have the coin in your possession at the time of your spiny lobster harvest. Register today or learn more about the program at MyFWC.com/Lionfish.

Links for more information:

Lionfish Challenge [MyFWC.com]

Challenge Promotional Video [YouTube.com/FWCSaltwaterFishing]

Gag – 4-county region

Recreational harvest in 4-county Gulf region closes July 1

Information: The recreational gag grouper season in state waters off Franklin, Wakulla, Taylor and Jefferson counties closes July 1, with the last day of harvest being June 30. The season off these counties will reopen Sept. 1 through Dec. 31.

All other state and all federal Gulf of Mexico waters opened to recreational harvest June 1 and will remain open through Dec. 31.

Monroe County follows Atlantic regulations and is open from May 1 - Dec. 31.

Links for more information:

Grouper [MyFWC.com]

Spiny lobster mini-season (sport season)

July 25-26 recreational season

Information: Spiny lobster will be open to recreational harvest in state waters July 25 and 26 for the recreational mini-season season and will open for regular recreational and commercial harvest Aug. 6.

During the 2-day mini-season season, the recreational daily bag and on-the-water possession limit is six per person in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park, and is 12 per person in all other areas in Florida. Off the water, the possession limit is equal to the daily bag limit on the first day and is double the daily bag limit on the second day.

Want to take an extra spiny lobster per day during the mini-season? Participate in the Lionfish Challenge. Remove 25 or more lionfish from Florida waters before the mini-season to qualify and receive your coin that allows you to take an extra lobster. See 2018 Lionfish Challenge section for more information.

Spiny lobster must have a carapace larger than 3 inches and when caught by diving, must be measured in the water. The carapace is measured beginning at the forward edge between the rostral horns, excluding any soft tissue, and proceeding along the middle to the rear edge of the carapace.

Night diving for spiny lobster is prohibited during the mini-season in state waters off Monroe County.

Harvest is prohibited during the mini-season in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and during the both the mini-season and the regular season in the Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, the lobster sanctuary in Biscayne Bay/Card Sound and the no-take areas of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Links for more information:

Spiny Lobster [MyFWC.com]

How to measure a spiny lobster [MyFWC.com]

Spiny Lobster measurement

Gulf Reef Fish Survey

Attention Gulf Anglers

Information: Fish for reef fish in the Gulf? Make sure you sign up for or renew your participation in the Gulf Reef Fish Survey. Registration for this survey is required if you fish from a private vessel for the following reef species in the Gulf (excluding Monroe County): red and vermilion snapper; gag, red, and black grouper; greater and lesser amberjack; banded rudderfish; almaco jack; and gray triggerfish.

To sign up or 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. 

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 precise data on Gulf reef fish harvest.

Links for more information:

Gulf Reef Fish Survey [MyFWC.com]

iAngler Gulf Red Snapper apps

Download on your mobile device today and share your data

Information: Charge your phone and download the new iAngler Gulf Red Snapper app (Google Play and App Store) before going out to target Gulf red snapper this year, that way you can report your catch info from your boat or after you return.  If you are fishing with a hired guide or charter captain, ask your captain to report your trip for you using the iAngler Gulf Red Snapper Charter app.

Learn more about the season, the survey and the app at MyFWC.com/Snappers.

Links for more information:

iAngler Gulf Red Snapper [GulfRedSnapper.org]

Gulf Red Snapper App [Facebook.com]

iangler app

Gulf Reef Fish State For-hire Program

Sign up for new program before targeting red snapper

Information: For-hire operations who do not have a federal reef fish permit but target reef fish such as red snapper in state waters must sign up for the Gulf Reef Fish State For-hire Program before targeting the species listed below. To sign up, visit any tax collector’s office and ask to have the no-cost State Gulf Reef Fish Charter added to your license. State Gulf Reef Fish Charter must be on your license if you plan to target any of the following species in Gulf state waters: red and vermilion snapper; gag, red, and black grouper; greater and lesser amberjack; banded rudderfish; almaco jack; and gray triggerfish.

Links for more information:

Gulf Reef Fish State Charters [MyFWC.com]

FWC needs your feedback

Information: FWC is collecting feedback on several fisheries issues including shore-based shark fishing, trap fisheries, shrimp, and bay scallops.

Provide comments on these or other fisheries online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.

Link for more information:

Saltwater Comments [MyFWC.com]

Angler recognition logo

Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs

Catch a Florida Memory today

Information: These three programs encourage 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

IN THIS ISSUE

Red snapper – Gulf

Scallops

Shark-fishing from shore public workshops

Sheepshead

Tripletail

Commission meeting – June

2018 Lionfish Challenge

Gag – 4-county region

Spiny lobster

Gulf Reef Fish Survey

iAngler Gulf Red Snapper apps

Gulf Reef Fish State For-hire Program

FWC needs your feedback

Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs

Events

     

    STATE SEASON UPDATES

    July - August

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

    July 1 – Gag grouper (4-county Gulf region) closes

    July 1 – Blue land crab closes

    July 1 – Scallops (Franklin-NW Taylor and Levy-Hernando) opens

    July 20-29 – Scallops (Pasco) open

    July 21 – Red snapper (Gulf) closes

    July 25-26 – Spiny lobster mini-season

    Aug. 1 – Permit (Special Permit Zone) opens

    Aug. 6 – Spiny lobster opens

    Aug. 10-19 – Blue crab trap closure (Brevard-Palm Beach)

    Aug. 17 – Scallops (Gulf County) opens

    Aug. 20-29 – Blue crab trap closure (FL/GA state line-Volusia)

     

    spiny lobster

    FWC staff photo.

    EVENTS

    July - August

    Lionfish Events Calendar 

    July 10-13 – ICAST – Orlando

    July 14 – Kids’ Fishing Clinic – Palm Coast

    July 18 – Shore-based Shark Fishing Workshop – Bradenton

    July 19 – Shore-based Shark Fishing Workshop – Fort Myers

    Aug. 6 – Shore-based Shark Fishing Workshop – Panama City

    Aug. 7 – Shore-based Shark Fishing Workshop – Pensacola

    Aug. 18 – Adult Fishing Clinic – Apollo Beach

    Aug. 20 – Shore-based Shark Fishing Workshop – Daytona Beach

    Aug. 21 – Shore-based Shark Fishing Workshop – Jacksonville

    Aug. 27 – Shore-based Shark Fishing Workshop – Melbourne Beach

    Aug. 28 – Shore-based Shark Fishing Workshop – West Palm Beach

    Aug. 29 – Shore-based Shark Fishing Workshop – Miami

    Aug. 30 – Shore-based Shark Fishing Workshop – Marathon

    SOCIAL SALTWATER

    red snapper

    Watch a video on the 2018 recreational red snapper season in Gulf state and federal waters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIysFz90Jb0

    Visit us on social media at.

    Facebook/CatchaFLMemory
    Facebook/LionfishReefRangers
    Facebook/MyFWC
    Youtube: MyFWC.com/SaltwaterFishing

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

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