FWC's Fishing in the Know - November 2021

November 2021

New In This Issue Commission meeting – October Spot/Atlantic croaker Redfish workshops Licensing website Hogfish Greater amberjack Spotted seatrout Saltwater License-free Fishing 2021 Lionfish Challenge   Conservation Tip of the Month Make sure you can identify the fish in your area, specifically the fish you are targeting. Have a saltwater fish identification guide, such as the FWC’s Fishing Lines Field Guide readily available to help you identify fish you are not familiar with.  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

Ethical Angler of the Month Peter Colelli and his wife of 43 years (who he calls his “best catch”) were on their annual visit to Sanibel Island this summer celebrating their wedding anniversary when Colelli had the run of his dreams — three large snook in one week, including a 16-pounder, and his two personal bests, an 18- and a 22-pound snook. And if that isn’t enough, all fish were taken on 6-pound light and ultra-light vintage spinning tackle and artificial lures. “I would have to go back to the late 1980s to recall snook fishing like what I had just experienced. It has taken me eight years to reach this milestone. Snook fishing has always been very special for me. If I never ate another snook, it would not matter. But, if I never caught another snook, that would matter.” Submit your photos and fishing stories by emailing them to Saltwater@MyFWC.com. Learn more about our photo guidelines.

Commission meeting – October Marine fisheries items The FWC Commission listened to public testimony on and discussed several marine fisheries management items at the Oct. 6-7 meeting in St. Augustine. Decision making (regulation changes were made on these topics): Atlantic coast: spot and Atlantic croaker (Consent Agenda): The Commission approved the creation of new species-specific regulations for spot and Atlantic croaker in state waters from the Florida-Georgia border through Miami-Dade County. Approved 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. Regulations will go into effect. Dec. 1, 2021. Learn more. Draft proposal (these items will be brought back to a future meeting for final decision): Goliath grouper: The Commission proposed a draft rule that, if approved at a future meeting, could allow for a limited, highly regulated harvest of goliath grouper. This proposal is NOT final and will come back for final consideration at a future Commission meeting. The draft proposal includes a special harvest opportunity through a lottery draw, as well as area and seasonal closures, size and gear restrictions, and post-harvest requirements. Learn more. Discussions: Redfish: The Commission listened to a staff report on the current status and regulations for redfish in Florida. This included outcomes of the inaugural Redfish Summit (held in August), a summary of recent stakeholder comments, and next steps for stakeholder engagement. Following this report, the Commission accepted staff's recommendations regarding development of a new management approach for this fishery, and to let the Executive Order (EO) for the Tampa Bay area expire after Oct. 11, 2021.  Sharks: The Commission listened to and discussed a presentation on sharks that included an overview of FWC’s shark management history, rationale behind current FWC shark regulations, and recommended next steps for shark management in state waters. Read "An Overview of Shark Management in Florida." 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. Other Commission updates: Redfish, snook, and spotted seatrout recreational harvest reopened in Tampa Bay Oct. 12, 2021. Learn more. Red grouper, gray triggerfish, and blackfin, wenchman, silk and queen snappers closed to harvest in Gulf state waters Oct. 11. These species are currently closed in Gulf federal waters as well. Learn more. Links for more information: Agenda [MyFWC.com] Spot/Atlantic croaker New Atlantic regulations effective Dec. 1 Starting Dec. 1, the following new regulations will take effect for spot and Atlantic croaker in Atlantic state waters from the Florida-Georgia border through Miami-Dade County: a daily recreational bag limit of 50 fish per person for each species and commercial vessel limits of 2,200 lbs. for spot and 1,200 lbs. for Atlantic croaker.  Links for more information: Spot and Atlantic Croaker [MyFWC.com] Redfish workshops Missed them? There is still time to share your input on the future management of the redfish fishery. Visit the workshop webpage and view the presentation online. Then submit your written comments to us by using the form at the bottom of the MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments page. You can also set up a small group meeting with staff by emailing Marine@MyFWC.com.  Links for more information:  Workshops [MyFWC.com] Licensing website GoOutdoorsFlorida.com gets new look and feel The agency’s official online recreational licensing website, GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, and the Fish | Hunt Florida app, now have a new look and feel that includes enhanced navigation. While the site is sporting a new look and feel, GoOutdoorsFlorida.com is still the only official licensing site and app of the FWC. For more on FWC license requirements, visit MyFWC.com/License. Don’t forget to try out the redesigned Fish | Hunt Florida App on Apple or Android to renew, purchase, and sync and store your license on your smartphone or tablet.   STATE SEASON UPDATES November - December State waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles in the Gulf and from shore to 3 nautical miles in the Atlantic.   Nov. 1 – Hogfish (Atlantic) closes Nov. 1 – Amberjack (Gulf) closes Nov. 1 – Spotted seatrout (Central East management region) closes Dec. 1 - Snook (Gulf) closes Dec. 1 - Flounder opens Dec. 15 - Snook (Atlantic) closes FWC WANTS YOUR FEEDBACK Share your input on goliath grouper, redfish, trap fisheries, dolphinfish and more. Provide your comments GREAT CATCH! Brooke Allen earned a Catch a Florida Memory Life List addition with this hardhead catfish caught off of a pier in Santa Rosa County with baby in tow! EVENTS November - December We will continue to monitor COVID-19 updates and plan events with this consideration in mind. Lionfish Events Calendar Nov. 27 - Saltwater License-free fishing day Dec. 15-16 - FWC Commission Meeting - TBD SOCIAL SALTWATER From the FWC Reef Rangers Facebook page: The Making of Lionfish Trophies Each year we work with a Florida-based artist to create our Lionfish Challenge trophies. This year’s trophies were created by Mokie Burns out of Ft. Myers, FL. Sam "Mokie" Hansen brought our vision to life with these one-of-a-kind pieces, and we could not be more excited about them! Sam is a Florida native that has combined her passion for both art and nature to create stunning work! She specializes in wood burning and wood working to create unique pieces. Her work ranges from small home accents to massive wood prints and even custom wood burned fish mounts! Check out Sam’s website to learn more about her work: https://mokieburns.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS Catch a Florida Memory Facebook Lionfish Reef Rangers Facebook FWC Facebook FWC Instagram FWC Saltwater Fishing YouTube ONLINE FISHING RESOURCES Where to Fish Fish Handling Learn to Fish Fish Identification Saltwater Fishing Tips Recreational Regulations On-the-water Etiquette And More!

Hogfish  Keys/East Florida recreational season closes Nov. 1 Hogfish recreational harvest closes in state and federal waters in the Keys/East Florida region Nov. 1 (see map below). This closure includes all state and federal waters south of Cape Sable, which is on the Gulf coast of Florida, and up the Atlantic coast. Both state and federal waters in this area reopen to harvest May 1, 2022. As a reminder, if you plan to fish for this or other reef fish species such as snapper or grouper from a private recreational vessel in Gulf or Atlantic waters off Florida, you'll need to sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.   Link for more information: Hogfish [MyFWC.com] Greater amberjack Recreational season closes Nov. 1 in Gulf The recreational season for greater amberjack in Gulf state and federal waters closes Nov. 1. The season will remain closed through April 30, 2022, and is scheduled to reopen to harvest May 1-31. As a reminder, if you plan to fish for this or other reef fish species such as snapper or grouper from a private recreational vessel in Gulf or Atlantic waters off Florida, you'll need to sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.   Link for more information: Amberjack  [MyFWC.com] Spotted seatrout  Recreational season closes Nov. 1 in Central East region Spotted seatrout will be closed to recreational harvest Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 in the Central East seatrout management region, which includes all state and federal waters from Palm Beach through Volusia counties (see map below). Link for more information: Spotted seatrout  [MyFWC.com] Saltwater License-Free Fishing Participate Nov. 27 Florida residents and visitors can experience Florida’s unique saltwater fishing opportunities without being required to have a recreational saltwater fishing license on Nov. 27. All other regulations apply such as bag limits, seasons, size restrictions and gear requirements. There are eight license-free fishing days each year including four freshwater and four saltwater. Fishing licenses can be purchased through the Fish | Hunt FL mobile app, at 1-888-FISH-Florida or at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. All fishing license fees are used to support fish and wildlife conservation in Florida and help attain additional funding from the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration program. Links for more information: License Information  [MyFWC.com] License-Free Fishing Days [MyFWC.com] 2021 Lionfish Challenge And the winners are... Recreational Category First place Lionfish King: Brooks Feeser, Palm Beach County, 1,632 removed. Second place: Carl Antonik, Santa Rosa County, 1,582 removed. Third place: Christina Raber-Jehn, Palm Beach County, 1,475 removed. Commercial Category First place Commercial Champion: Rachel Bowman, Monroe County, 730 pounds removed. Second place: Paul DeCuir, Escambia County, 725 pounds removed. Third place: Alex Fogg, Okaloosa County, 657 pounds removed. First place winners received a customized trophy, $150 for SCUBA air fills, an HP 100 SCUBA cylinder, and will be featured in the 2021 Saltwater Regulations publication and in the FWC Lionfish Hall of Fame. Final Stats 21,146 lionfish removed. 185 people submitted lionfish (172 recreational, 13 commercial). Learn more about the program at FWCReefRangers.com. Pictured: The 2021 Lionfish Challenge winners were honored at the FWC Commission meeting Oct. 6 in St. Augustine. Pictured from left are FWC Executive Director Eric Sutton; commissioners Steve Hudson, Gary Nicklaus and Sonya Rood; Lionfish King/recreational winner Brooks Feeser; Chairman Rodney Barreto; Commercial Champion Rachel Bowman; and commissioners Robert Spottswood, Gary Lester, and Mike Sole. Photo by Avery Bristol/FWC State Reef Fish Angler Do you fish for reef fish like snapper, grouper or triggerfish from a private recreational vessel off Florida? 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.

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.

Catch a Florida Memory Reid Grant added to his Catch a Florida Memory Saltwater Life List with this gag caught off of Hernando County. Catch a Florida Memory's 5-Year “Catch-iversary” celebrated in October with over 20,000 approved angler catches! 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 Marine Fisheries Staff Highlight Christine Kittle recently hit her 5-year anniversary with the FWC as a fisheries biologist IV for the Marine Fisheries Management Artificial Reef subsection. The Artificial Reef Program takes a supportive role in advising counties on the creation of new habitat to enhance marine life and provide more recreational fishing and diving opportunities. While she spends most of her work time writing grants, permitting reefs, and talking with stakeholders about what and where they’d like to see future artificial reefs, her favorite part of the job is getting to dive. She and the two other permanent artificial reef team members are out on the water regularly conducting fish counts on artificial reefs. This information helps the team determine if the current reefs are providing quality habitat for a variety of popular species.  Kittle grew up in King George, Virginia. She first became interested in marine science and the outdoors when spending time at the beach with her mom and later earned her undergraduate degree in marine science from Coastal Carolina University (where she also became dive certified). She has a master’s certificate in quantitative fisheries sciences (think stock assessments) through University of Florida.   Before coming to Tallahassee, Florida, she worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in habitat restoration for freshwater streams and wetlands throughout the Chesapeake Bay region of Maryland. She loves being a mom to her 3-year-old son Wyatt, and saltwater shoreline fishing in Wakulla with her husband, Sean. She is learning new and creative ways to cook her catch and has really taken a liking to redfish. She also is a Harry Potter fanatic and would belong in Hufflepuff.   For more information on DMFM, visit MyFWC.com or email Marine@MyFWC.com

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