Peyton Naylor with his red rum catch.
Commission Meeting – December
Marine Fisheries items discussed Dec. 5-7
Information: The FWC Commission listened to public testimony on and discussed several marine fisheries management items at the Dec. 5-7 meeting in Gainesville.
Final action:
Spiny lobster: Commissioners directed FWC staff to waive annual spiny lobster trap certificate fees for the 2018-19 license year to assist commercial spiny lobster fishers still recovering from losses due to Hurricane Irma.
Cobia: Changes approved to create a management boundary in state waters for cobia between the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean by defining all waters north of the Monroe-Collier county line as Gulf state waters, reduce the commercial daily bag limit from two to one fish per person in Gulf state waters, and reduce the recreational and commercial vessel limit from six to two per vessel per day in Gulf state waters. These changes are effective Feb. 1, 2018.
Greater amberjack: Changes approved to set the recreational harvest season to open May 1-31 and Aug. 1 - Oct. 31 each year. Similar changes are pending in Gulf federal waters.
Draft rule discussions (these items will be brought back to a future meeting for final decision):
Bay scallops: Draft changes to create regionally-specific bay scallop harvest seasons. Proposed long-term regional seasons that, if adopted, would remain the same annually include:
Dixie County and a portion of Taylor County (including the Steinhatchee area, Keaton Beach and Dekle Beach): Open the third Saturday in June - Sept. 10
Levy, Citrus, and Hernando counties: July 10 - Sept. 10
Proposed season dates and locations that, if adopted, would be implemented by Executive Order for 2018 only include:
St. Joseph Bay and all of Gulf County: Aug. 17 - Sept. 30 (long-term changes expected to be established once the population is more fully rebuilt).
Pasco County: July 20-29 (this is a trial season, state waters off Pasco County have been closed since 1994).
Permit: Draft change to lengthen the permit spawning season closure inside the Special Permit Zone in south Florida by adding April to the existing May through July closure.
Discussions:
2017 hurricane response and recovery report
Gulf red snapper recreational season staff report
Federal fishery management updates
Links for more information:
Gag Grouper
Season closes in all state and federal Gulf and Atlantic waters Jan. 1
Information: The recreational harvest season for gag closes in all Gulf and Atlantic state and federal waters Jan. 1.
Atlantic state (including Monroe County) and federal waters will reopen to harvest May 1. Gulf state waters off Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties will reopen April 1 and all other Gulf state waters and all Gulf federal waters will reopen June 1.
Link for more information:
Atlantic Grouper
Season closes Jan. 1
Information: Several species of grouper will close to recreational and commercial harvest starting Jan. 1 in Atlantic state waters, including Monroe County, and Atlantic federal waters. This seasonal closure includes gag, black, red, yellowmouth, and yellowfin grouper; scamp; red hind; rock hind; coney; and graysby.
The harvest of these species of grouper in Atlantic state waters will remain closed through April 30, reopening May 1.
Link for more information:
Greater Amberjack – Gulf
Recreational season will reopen May 1
Information: The greater amberjack recreational season in Gulf state waters will remain closed through April 30, and will reopen to harvest May 1-31 and Aug. 1-Oct. 31.
Link for more information:
Gray Triggerfish – Gulf
Season will reopen March 1
Information: Recreational harvest of gray triggerfish in Gulf of Mexico state waters will remain closed in Gulf state waters through Feb. 28, 2018, reopening March 1. The season will also close June 1 through July 31.
When the season reopens, the daily recreational bag limit will be 1 fish per person (lowered from 2 fish earlier this year), and the minimum size limit will be 15 inches fork length (increased from 14 inches fork length earlier this year). Similar changes for Gulf federal waters are pending final approval.
Link for more information:
Blue Crab Trap Closure
St. Johns River seasonal closures
Information: Recreational and commercial blue crab traps must be removed from all waters of the St. Johns River system before Jan. 16. Traps can be placed back in the water Jan. 26.
This regional blue crab trap closure allows FWC to identify and retrieve lost and abandoned blue crab traps from Florida waters. Lost and abandoned traps can continue to trap crabs and fish when left in the water, can damage sensitive habitats and pose navigational hazards.
Harvest of blue crabs by other gear, such as dip nets and fold-up traps, is permitted during the closure. Traps attached to private property such as a dock are not included in the closure and may remain in the water.
Links for more information:
Information: FWC is collecting feedback on several fisheries issues including shrimp, flounder, and trap fisheries.
Link for more information:
Saltwater Angler Recognition Programs
Catch a Florida Memory today
Information: These three programs encourage ethical angling while earning rewards for your efforts.
- Saltwater Fish Life List: A list of 71 different species. Can you catch them all?
- Saltwater Reel Big Fish: Recognition for extraordinarily-sized catches.
- Saltwater Grand Slams: Earn rewards for catching three different specified species in a 24-hour period.
Link for more information:
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