Gulf recreational red snapper season workshops scheduled for March

 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting several public workshops in March to gather public input on the Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper season in state waters (from shore out to 9 nautical miles).

          The workshops are scheduled for the following locations (all are from 6 to 8 p.m. local time):

• March 9: Pensacola, Bayview Community Center, 2000 E. Lloyd St.
• March 10: Destin, Destin Community Center, 101 Stahlman Ave.
• March 11: Panama City, Gulf Coast State College, Student Union East, 2^nd Floor Conference Room, 5230 W U.S. Highway 98
• March 12: Carrabelle, Carrabelle City Municipal Complex, 1001 Gray Ave.
• March 16: St. Petersburg, Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, 3^rd floor #3A and 3B, 100 Eighth Ave. SE

          At the workshops, staff will gather public input on a proposed 2015 season that would start the Saturday before Memorial Day (May 23) and run through Sunday, July 12, resume for all of Labor Day weekend (Sept. 5-7) and finish with Saturdays and Sundays throughout September and October, with the last day of harvest being Sunday, Nov. 1. This proposed season would be 70 days. This season was the preferred option discussed by FWC Commissioners during their February meeting in Jacksonville.

          The 2014 season in Gulf state waters began the Saturday before Memorial Day and remained open through July 14 (a total of 52 days).

Staff will present workshop results to the Commission at its April meeting in Tallahassee. The Commission will take final action on setting the 2015 Gulf red snapper state season during the April meeting.

Red snapper is a popular species that has a strong economic impact for many coastal communities throughout Florida.

For more information, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater,” “Rulemaking” and “Upcoming Public Workshops” or call 850-487-0554.

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