 Cameron Solomon checks Florida pompano off his Catch a Florida Memory Life List. Learn more at CatchaFloridaMemory.com.
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Commission meeting – May
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 May 1-2 meeting near Tallahassee.
Decision making (regulation changes are anticipated on these topics):
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Red drum, snook and seatrout: southwest Florida update: The Commission will discuss impacts from red tide to red drum, snook and spotted seatrout in southwest Florida and will decide whether to continue and/or expand current catch-and-release measures in effect in that area.
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Reef fish management: The Commission will consider changes to reef fish regulations, which may impact several species including blueline tilefish (commercial changes only), almaco jack (commercial changes only) and removing the recreational and commercial minimum size limit for blackfin, queen and silk snapper.
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Bay scallops: The Commission will consider establishing the regional seasons for 2020 and beyond for the open scallop harvest area.
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Federal fishery management updates: The Commission will discuss the outcomes of recent meetings of the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico fishery management councils and will consider early season closures for greater amberjack and gray triggerfish in Gulf state waters to be consistent with federal closures.
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Spanish mackerel: The Commission will consider a draft proposal to change regulations related to the commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel in Atlantic waters.
Draft changes (these items will be brought back to a future meeting for final decision):
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Spotted seatrout: Staff will present a draft proposal to change spotted seatrout regulations statewide including lowering bag limits, reinstating a February season closure in the northwest zone, removing the allowance to keep one fish over the slot in the southwest and southeast zones, and prohibiting guides (captain and crew) from keeping a bag limit when on a for-hire trip. If approved, these changes will be brought back before the Commission later this year for final consideration.
Discussions (no regulation changes are anticipated on these items):
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Coral Reefs: Staff and invited partners will provide a review and panel discussion of topics related to the multi-agency response to the coral disease outbreak on the Florida reef tract.
Links for more information:
Agenda [MyFWC.com]
Blackfin tuna workshops
Share your input
Information: The FWC is gathering public input on the future management of blackfin tuna. Share your input by attending a workshop near you.
Upcoming dates and locations for the workshops are as follows (all workshops begin at 6 p.m. local time):
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May 6 – Fort Lauderdale: Keiser University, Room #402B, 1500 NW 49th
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May 7 – Key West: Harvey Government Center, BOCC Room, 1200 Truman Ave.
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May 8 – Islamorada: Founders Park Community Center, 87000 Overseas Highway
If you cannot attend a workshop, you can also view a video of the presentation online (coming soon) and provide comments to FWC at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.
Previous workshops were held in Destin, St. Petersburg, Stuart and New Smyrna Beach.
Link for more information:
Workshops [MyFWC.com]
Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival
Action: Celebrate with us May 18-19
Information: Join the FWC and Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau in celebrating the fifth annual Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day (Saturday, May 18) by attending our 2-day festival at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar and along HarborWalk Village. Event includes fillet demonstrations; family-friendly activities; art, diving and marine conservation booths; live music and more. The Emerald Coast Open lionfish tournament will be happening the same weekend. Want to taste some lionfish? Participating restaurants in Destin will be serving lionfish each day, May 10-16.
Links for more information:
Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival [FWCReefRangers.com]
Emerald Coast Open lionfish tournament [EmeraldCoastOpen.com]
2019 Lionfish Challenge Action: Turn in your lionfish for rewards
Information: The 2019 Lionfish Challenge starts May 18 and rewards lionfish harvesters with prizes for submitting lionfish. Participants who remove the most lionfish in the recreational and commercial categories by Labor Day (Sept. 2) will be crowned the 2019 Recreational Lionfish King/Queen and the Commercial Champion. Submit the largest or smallest lionfish in the Challenge for your chance to win up to $3,000 in cash prizes, thanks to our sponsors. Register today or learn more about the program at FWCReefRangers.com.
Hogfish – Atlantic
Season opens May 1
Information: Recreational hogfish season opens May 1 in all Atlantic state and federal waters including waters south and east of Cape Sable on the Gulf coast. The season remains open through Oct. 31.
Links for more information:
Hogfish [MyFWC.com]
Grouper – Atlantic
Season opens May 1
Information: The recreational season for gag, black, red, yellowmouth and yellowfin grouper; scamp; red hind; rock hind; coney; and graysby; opens May 1 in Atlantic state and federal waters, and including all state waters of Monroe County.
Links for more information:
Groupers [MyFWC.com]
Snook – Gulf
Action: Season closes May 1
Information: Snook will close to harvest in state, federal and inland waters along the Gulf of Mexico, including all of Monroe County and Everglades National Park, starting May 1. Snook also remains catch-and-release only in waters from the Pasco-Hernando county line south to Gordon Pass in Collier County in order to help the population recover from impacts related to red tide.
Links for more information:
Snook [MyFWC.com]
Stone crab
Action: Season closes May 16
Information: Recreational and commercial stone crab season closes May 16 in state and federal waters.
Links for more information:
Stone crab [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. 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 accurate data on Gulf reef fish harvest.
Your data is important to us. If you receive a Gulf Reef Fish Survey in the mail, please return it whether you have fished or not. Please also participate in other data collection efforts such as dockside surveys, Marine Recreational Information Program surveys and the iAngler app.
Links for more information:
Gulf Reef Fish Survey [MyFWC.com]
Gulf Reef Fish State For-Hire Program
If you haven’t already, sign up for program before snapper season starts
Information: For-hire operations who do not have a federal reef fish permit but target reef fish such as red snapper in Gulf state waters must sign up for the Gulf Reef Fish State For-Hire Program. Only those who did not sign up last year will need to sign up this year. 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 or harvest 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.
FWC needs your feedback
Information: FWC is collecting feedback on several fisheries topics including trap fisheries, shrimp, and blackfin tuna.
Provide comments on these or other fisheries online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.
Catch a Florida Memory Submit saltwater catches and earn rewards
Information: These three programs reward anglers and encourage them to target a diversity of species, decreasing fishing pressure on the most commonly sought-after catches.
Anglers can join the new Triple Threat Club and earn even more prizes (including a long sleeve performance fishing shirt and a chance to win a weekend getaway) by participating in all three programs. Anglers must have at least one application approved for each program to qualify.
FWC also manages the Florida Saltwater Fishing Records program.
Link for more information:
CatchaFloridaMemory.com
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