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New In This Issue
Redfish Summit 2021
Commission meeting – August
Tampa Bay
Snook
Bay scallops
Gag grouper
Blueline tilefish
2021 Lionfish Challenge
New online games
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Conservation Tip of the Month
Bringing an exhausted fish out of the water is like asking a triathlon winner to jump back in the water and hold their breath---they both need oxygen to recover! Keep a fish in the water when possible.
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Fish Rules App
Stay up-to-date with the latest Florida fishing regulations by downloading the Fish Rules app on your smart device.
Learn more at http://www.fishrulesapp.com
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Redfish Summit 2021
In case you missed it
The first ever Redfish Summit, held in Ocala in late August, was a success. If you missed the day-long discussion on redfish biology and management in Florida, you can watch most of the event online at TheFloridaChannel.org.
Learn more at MyFWC.com/Redfish2021.
FWC staff are also hosting several Redfish Workshops in October.
Links for more information:
Workshops [MyFWC.com]
Commission meeting – August
Marine fisheries items
The FWC Commission listened to public testimony on and discussed several marine fisheries management items at the Aug. 4-5 meeting in Bonita Springs. The next Commission meeting is scheduled for Oct. 6-7 in St. Augustine.
Item moved to a future meeting:
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Atlantic coast: spot and Atlantic croaker: This item was moved to the October Commission meeting and will include the creations of new species-specific regulations for spot and Atlantic croaker in state waters from the Florida-Georgia border through Miami-Dade County. Proposed changes include establishing a daily recreational bag limit of 50 fish per person for each species and establishing commercial vessel limits of 2,200 lbs. for spot and 1,200 lbs. for Atlantic croaker.
Discussions (no regulation changes were made on these items):
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Coral reef disease response and restoration efforts: FWC staff summarized the status of the ongoing Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in Florida.
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Federal fishery management updates: The Commission discussed outcomes of recent meetings of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
Links for more information:
Agenda [MyFWC.com]
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Tampa Bay
Snook, redfish and spotted seatrout catch-and-release
Snook, redfish and spotted seatrout are catch-and-release in Tampa Bay through Oct. 11 (date was recently pushed back so Commissioners could discuss at October meeting) due to recent impacts from red tide. This includes all waters in Manatee County north of State Road 64, Hillsborough County, and Pinellas County. The Braden River and all tributaries of the Manatee River are also included, but not Palma Sola Bay or the Anclote River.
Snook remains catch-and-release from Sarasota Bay through Gordon Pass in Collier County until Aug. 31, 2022.
Links for more information:
News release [MyFWC.com]
Snook
Gulf and Atlantic season opens Sept. 1 in most waters
Snook opened to recreational harvest Sept. 1 in most Gulf and all Atlantic state waters. Snook remains catch-and-release only in state waters from State Road 64 in Manatee County south through Gordon Pass in Collier County through Aug. 31, 2022. Snook is also currently catch-and-release through Oct. 11 in Tampa Bay, including all waters of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties and north of State Road 64 in Manatee County.
When releasing a snook, proper handling methods can help ensure your fish’s survival and the species’ abundance for anglers today and generations to come. To learn more about catch-and-release and the best way to handle a fish, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click “Fish Handling.”
Links for more information:
Snook [MyFWC.com]
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Bay scallops
September season closures
Bay scallops will be closed to harvest in the following areas starting on the following dates:
- Sept. 7 – Fenholloway through Suwannee rivers
- Sept. 25 – Gulf County through northwest Taylor County and Levy through Hernando counties
Links for more information:
Scallops [MyFWC.com]
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STATE SEASON UPDATES
September - October
State waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles in the Gulf and from shore to 3 nautical miles in the Atlantic.
Sept. 1 – Snook (Gulf) opens (catch-and-release only in Tampa Bay through Oct. 11, and from State Road 64 in Manatee County south through Gordon Pass in Collier County through Aug. 31, 2022.)
Sept. 1 - Snook (Atlantic) opens
Sept. 1 – Gag grouper (Franklin-Taylor) opens
Sept. 1 – Blueline tilefish (Atlantic) closes
Sept. 7 – Bay scallops (SW Taylor/Dixie) closes
Sept. 25 – Bay scallops (Gulf, Franklin-NW Taylor & Levy-Hernando counties) closes
Oct. 15 – Stone crab opens
Oct. 15 – Flounder closes
FWC WANTS YOUR FEEDBACK
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Share your input on goliath grouper, trap fisheries, dolphinfish and more.
Provide your comments
GREAT CATCH!
Charlie Brendel with a nice spotted seatrout caught on a family fishing trip off of Dunedin.
EVENTS
September - October
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We will continue to monitor COVID-19 updates and plan events with this consideration in mind.
Lionfish Events Calendar
Sept. 13-17 – SAFMC meeting – Virtual
Oct. 6-7 – Commission meeting – St. Augustine
Oct. 11-17 – MarineQuest – Virtual
Oct. 12 – Redfish Workshops – Crystal River, Fort Pierce and Jacksonville
Oct. 13 – Redfish Workshops – Steinhatchee, Naples, New Smyrna
Oct. 14 – Redfish Workshops – Tallahassee, Port Charlotte, St. Augustine
Oct. 18 – Redfish Workshops – Panama City, Viera, St. Petersburg
Oct. 19 – Redfish Workshops – Pensacola, online webinar
Oct. 25-28 – GMFMC meeting – Orange Beach, Alabama
SOCIAL SALTWATER
From the Catch a Florida Memory Facebook page:
Fishing her way into our Life List 10-Fish Club!
Check out a few of Coral’s latest catches that have landed her in our 10-Fish Club. This cool kid looks to be having a blast landing her snook and hardhead catfish.
Welcome to the club, Coral!
#CatchAFloridaMemory #LifeList #FishOn #TightLines
SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
Catch a Florida Memory Facebook
Lionfish Reef Rangers Facebook
FWC Facebook
FWC Instagram
FWC Saltwater Fishing YouTube
ONLINE FISHING RESOURCES
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Gag grouper
Season opens from Franklin-Taylor counties
The Gulf of Mexico gag grouper recreational season in state waters off Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties will be open for harvest Sept. 1 through Dec. 31.
All other Gulf state and federal waters are open June 1 through Dec. 31.
If you are fishing for gag grouper from a private recreational vessel, you are required to sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler. Learn more at MyFWC.com/SRFS.
Links for more information:
Grouper [MyFWC.com]
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Blueline tilefish
Atlantic season closed Sept. 1
Blueline tilefish closed for recreational harvest in Atlantic state waters (including Monroe County) Sept. 1, with the last day of harvest being Aug. 31. This season will reopen May 1, 2022.
Links for more information:
Tilefish [MyFWC.com]
2021 Lionfish Challenge
Only a few more days to turn in your fish
The last day to turn in fish to the 2021 Lionfish Challenge is Sept. 6. More than 14,000 lionfish have already been turned in! The Lionfish Challenge 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 FWCReefRangers.com.
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New online games
Check out Gone Fishin' saltwater digital interactive games
Just in time for the new school year, the FWC has partnered with Pubbly, a digital education company, to launch five interactive games that engage and educate students of all ages on marine fisheries conservation. Jump in today at FloridaFishing.Pubbly.com.
State Reef Fish Angler
Do you fish for reef fish like snapper, grouper or 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 annual, no cost, required designation even if you are normally exempt from purchasing a fishing license at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or learn more at MyFWC.com/SRFS.
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Florida Coral Crew
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.
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Liam Grant added this gag grouper caught off of Hernando County to his Catch a Florida Memory Saltwater Life List.
Submit saltwater catches and earn rewards
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.
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
Marine Fisheries staffer Thomas Vatter has worked with the Division's outreach and education section for 3 years. His focus areas include running education programs like Kids' Fishing Clinics and the Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program. Vatter was born and raised in Navarre, Florida. He studied at Florida State University where he has an undergraduate degree in biology and a masters in aquatic environmental science. He also performed in the FSU circus. In his spare time, he enjoys kayaking around Tallahassee, he’s an avid swimmer, and likes to paint. He recently helped create the Gone Fishin’ saltwater digital interactive games with digital education company Pubbly.
For more information on DMFM’s outreach and education programs checkout our webpage or email Marine@MyFWC.com
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Learn how our partner, the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, helps the FWC achieve its mission.
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Do you buy fishing gear? Fuel up your boat? Purchase a fishing license? Every time you do, you improve fishing opportunities through the federal Sport Fish Restoration program (SFR). Learn more about how you contribute and programs SFR supports at MyFWC.com/SFR. |
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