FWC's Fishing in the Know - May 2021

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission sent this bulletin at 04/30/2021 12:11 PM EDT

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May 2021

In This Issue

Commission meeting – May

Red snapper – Gulf

Stone crab

Blueline tilefish – Atlantic

Grouper – Atlantic

Snook – Gulf

Hogfish – Atlantic

Amberjack – Gulf

Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival

2021 Lionfish Challenge

And MORE!

Conservation Tip of the Month

Decide beforehand which fish are to be kept and immediately release all others.

Knowing before you go increases the survivability of fish you release.

Fish Rules App

Keep up-to-date with the latest fishing regulations off Florida by downloading the Fish Rules app on your smart device.

Learn more at http://www.fishrulesapp.com

Ethical Angler of the Month

Michael Olsen, 8, added this sheepshead to his Catch a Florida Memory Saltwater Life List and earned a Reel Big Fish Honorable Mention. This fish was caught off of Citrus County.

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

Commission meeting – May

Marine Fisheries items

Information: The FWC Commission will listen to public testimony on and discuss several marine fisheries management items at the May 12 and 13 meeting. Advanced comments should be submitted no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, May 7, 2021.

Decision making (regulation changes are anticipated to be made on this topic):

Multi-day for-hire bag limit (Consent Agenda May 12): The Commission will consider updating FWC rules regarding multi-day for-hire trips for reef fish, king mackerel and Spanish mackerel to be consistent with existing federal rules for the Atlantic and Gulf.

Discussions (no regulation changes are anticipated to be made on these items):

Roundtable Discussion on Sharks (May 12): FWC staff and invited guests will provide a review and panel discussion on topics related to interactions between fishermen and sharks in Florida waters. (No public comment session. Comments may be submitted in writing in advance of the meeting at com/SaltwaterComments or through the Commission meeting commenting form.)
Marine Fisheries Annual Workplan (May 12): FWC staff will review new and ongoing marine fisheries management issues identified by Commissioners, staff and stakeholders that were selected for the proposed 2021/2022 workplan.
Goliath Grouper (May 12): FWC staff will provide a review and discussion of goliath grouper, including biology, updates on ongoing research, and stakeholder opinions. Staff will seek Commission approval on next steps for goliath management in state waters, including whether to prepare a draft rule for a limited, highly regulated harvest.
Spiny Lobster Mini-Season (May 13): FWC staff will provide a presentation on Florida’s two-day spiny lobster mini-season with a special focus on Monroe County and the Florida Keys. Topics will include management history and recent stakeholder requests related to management in Monroe County.
SW Red Tide Update: Snook, Redfish and Spotted Seatrout (May 13): Staff will update the Commission on recently gathered public input on how to manage snook, redfish and spotted seatrout in waters from Pasco County south through Gordon Pass in Collier County. This area was impacted by a 2017-2019 red tide. These species are catch-and-release only in this area through May 31, 2021. Staff will propose a path forward for after the May 31 catch-and-release measures expire.
Federal fishery management updates (May 13): The Commission will discuss outcomes of recent meetings of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and will discuss the 2021 Gulf red snapper season.

Links for more information:

Agenda [MyFWC.com]

Red snapper – Gulf

2021 season set

Information: The recreational red snapper season will start June 4 in Gulf state and federal waters and remain open through July 28, closing July 29. The season will be open for a total of 55 days.

This season applies to recreational anglers fishing from private vessels in Gulf state and federal waters. For-hire operations that do not have a federal reef fish permit may also participate in the season but are limited to fishing for red snapper in Gulf state waters only.

If you plan to fish for red snapper in state or federal waters from a private recreational vessel, even if you are exempt from fishing license requirements, you must sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler (annual renewal required). To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/SRFS. Sign up at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

Links for more information:

Snappers [MyFWC.com]

Stone crab

Season closes May 2

Information: Florida’s recreational and commercial stone crab seasons in state and federal waters will come to a close May 2, with the last day of harvest being May 1. This annual closure date was modified last year as part of a suite of management changes made in response to a long-term decline in harvest and because the stone crab fishery is likely undergoing overfishing. These changes are intended to increase the stone crab population and build resiliency in the fishery.

Links for more information:

Stone crab [MyFWC.com]

STATE SEASON UPDATES

May - June

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

May 1 – Grouper, several species (Atlantic) opens

May 1 -Blueline tilefish (Atlantic) opens

May 1 – Snook (Gulf) closes

May 1 – Hogfish (Atlantic) opens

May 1 – Amberjack (Gulf) opens

May 2 – Stone crab closes (NEW date this year)

June 1 – Snook (Atlantic) closes

June 1 – Gag grouper (Gulf, excluding 4-county region) opens

June 1 – Amberjack (Gulf) closes

June 1 – Gray triggerfish (Gulf) closes

June 4 – Red snapper (Gulf) opens

June 15 – Bay scallops (Fenholloway through Suwannee rivers) opens (Includes Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee)

FWC NEEDS YOUR FEEDBACK

FWC is collecting feedback on several topics including the Atlantic croaker and spot fishery; dolphinfish; trap fisheries; and Southwest Florida snook, redfish and spotted seatrout.

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

GREAT CATCH!

Rafael Astillero shared this photo of a 31 inch snook he caught on the South jetty in Venice Dec.15, 2020. Great catch Rafael!

EVENTS

May - June

COVID-19 update: We will continue to monitor COVID-19 updates and plan events with this consideration in mind.

Virtual Saltwater Fishing Clinics: Registration for these events is currently full. Recordings of clinics will be available in the coming months and additional live sessions may be added in the future.

Lionfish Events Calendar

May 11 – Florida-Friendly Landscaping for Florida’s Coral Reef workshop - online

May 12 and 13 – FWC Commission Meeting

May 15 and 16 – Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival – Destin

SOCIAL SALTWATER

Post of the Month

Check out this new video we added to the YouTube.com/FWCSaltwaterFishing channel on barbless hooks.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS

Catch a Florida Memory Facebook

Lionfish Reef Rangers Facebook

FWC Facebook

FWC Instagram

FWC Saltwater Fishing YouTube

ONLINE FISHING RESOURCES

Saltwater Fishing Tips

Recreational Regulations

On-the-water Etiquette

And More!

Blueline tilefish – Atlantic

Season opens May 1

Information: The recreational season for blueline tilefish in Atlantic state and federal waters (including Monroe County) opens May 1, and will remain open through Aug. 31.

Links for more information:

Blueline Tilefish [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, including all state waters of Monroe County.

Links for more information:

Groupers [MyFWC.com]

Snook – Gulf

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 Pasco County south to Gordon Pass in Collier County through May 31, 2021. The Commission will be discussing future management of snook in these SW Florida waters at the May 12-13 meeting. See the Commission Meeting – May section of this newsletter for more.

Links for more information:

Snook [MyFWC.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]

Amberjack – Gulf

Season opens May 1

Information: The greater amberjack recreational season in Gulf state waters will open to harvest May 1 and remain open through May 31. The season will open again Aug. 1 through Oct. 31.

Links for more information:

Greater amberjack [MyFWC.com]

Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival

Information: The 7^th annual Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival will be held May 15 and 16 at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar and HarborWalk Village in Destin. The festival is in celebration of the fight against invasive lionfish. FWC and Destin – Fort Walton Beach are hosting. Activities will include fillet demonstrations; family-friendly games and activities; art, diving and conservation booths; and the world’s largest lionfish spearfishing tournament, the Emerald Coast Open.

Link for more information:

FWCReefRangers.com

2021 Lionfish Challenge

Turn in your lionfish for rewards

Information: The 2021 Lionfish Challenge starts May 21 and rewards lionfish harvesters with prizes for submitting lionfish. Participants who remove the most lionfish in the recreational and commercial categories through Labor Day (Sept. 6) will be crowned the 2021 Recreational Lionfish King/Queen and the Commercial Champion. Register today or learn more about the program at https://fwcreefrangers.com/.

State Reef Fish Angler

Do you fish for reef fish like snapper, grouper and triggerfish from a private recreational vessel off Florida's Atlantic or Gulf coasts? Then you are a State Reef Fish Angler. Sign up for this required designation even if you are normally exempt from needing a license at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or learn more at MyFWC.com/SRFS.

Florida Coral Crew

Information: If you want healthy, beautiful coral reefs and would like more information about Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease and what the FWC and partners are doing to help, join the Crew and sign up today: FLCoralCrew.com. And while you’re out enjoying the water this summer, remember these tips:

Avoid touching corals while diving.
Don’t anchor near corals.
Clean diving gear between dive sites.
Use environmentally friendly sunscreens.

Catch a Florida Memory

Ed Sibal recently added this Spanish mackerel, caught at Pass-a-Grille in Pinellas County to his Catch a Florida Memory Saltwater Life List. Ed has already qualified for the 10 Fish Club and is working his way to the 30 Fish Club. Congrats Ed!

Submit saltwater catches and earn rewards

You can now submit your vermilion snapper and saltwater catfish catches to earn a Reel Big Fish achievement! The qualifying length for vermilion snapper is 17 inches for adults and 13 inches for youth, while the qualifying length for saltwater catfish (gafftopsail or hardhead) is 22 inches for adults and 16 inches for youth. All Reel Big Fish catches must be photographed over a qualifying measuring device clearly showing the exact full length of the fish. A photo of the fish with the angler submitting the catch is also required.

Have you caught a Florida memory? Submit photos of your saltwater catches to earn rewards for various achievements while targeting a diversity of species and reducing fishing pressure on the most commonly sought-after catches.

Saltwater Fish Life List: Can you catch all 70 species?
Saltwater Reel Big Fish: Recognition for extraordinary-sized catches.
Saltwater Grand Slams: Earn rewards for catching three specific fish in 24 hours.

Join the Triple Threat Club and earn even more prizes (including a long sleeve performance fishing shirt and more) by participating in all three programs. Anglers must qualify for each of the three programs to be eligible.

FWC also manages the Florida Saltwater Fishing Records program.

Link for more information:

CatchaFloridaMemory.com

Learn how our partner, the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, helps the FWC achieve it's mission.

Subscribe to their newsletter.

Do you buy fishing gear? Fuel up your boat? Purchase a fishing license? Every time you do, you help improve your fishing experience by supporting the Sport Fish Restoration Program (SFR). Learn more about how you contribute at MyFWC.com/SFR.