Thursday, September 1, 2011

2011 Gag Fishing Season - Important Reminder to Recreational Fishermen

The recreational gag fishing season put in place through a temporary rule established a 2011 recreational season for gag that opens at 12:01 A.M. on September 16 and closes at 12:01 A.M. on November 16. The current bag limit of two gag within the four fish aggregate grouper bag limit and the minimum size of 22-inches total length will be in effect during the fishing season.

Gag is considered overfished (population abundance is too low) and undergoing overfishing (rate of removal too high). The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires action to rebuilt overfished stocks and to end overfishing. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) requested NOAA Fisheries Service implement this temporary rule to revise 2011 commercial and recreational measures in light of the rerun of the gag update stock assessment. The Council is developing a long-term plan to address gag stock rebuilding through Amendment 32 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico.

For more information, visit www.gulfcouncil.org, or find us on Facebook!
 


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