FWC Marine Fisheries Monthly Hot Sheet

October 2014 Marine Fisheries Monthly FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management Bonito catch courtesy of Jose Juncadella. Submit your photos by emailing them toSaltwater@MyFWC.com. Stone Crab  Action: Recreational and commercial season opens Oct. 15 in state and federal waters Information:   Only the claws may be harvested Claws must be at least 2 ¾ inches to be harvested Bag limit: 1 gallon of claws per person, 2 gallons per vessel, whichever is less Harvest of claws from females with eggs is prohibited May 16: Season closes Cannot use any device that can puncture, crush or injure the crab body 5 trap maximum per person Links for more information: Stone Crab Information  [MyFWC.com Commission Meeting Action: Marine Fisheries items Information: The FWC Commission discussed several marine fisheries management items Sept. 10 and 11 at the meeting in Kissimmee including: A staff report on the biology and status of goliath grouper Updates on federal fishery management And the Commission approved the following proposals: Changing how American eel is managed by establishing a recreational bag limit of 25 and a recreational and commercial minimum size limit of 9 inches Prohibiting the intentional breeding of lionfish and the retention and cultivation of lionfish eggs which will be effective by Dec. 1 Setting the bay scallop season to open the Saturdaybefore July 1, unless July 1 falls on a Saturday, in which case the season would start July 1 Requiring commercial oyster and clam harvesters to complete an annual training course offered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services outlining proper harvest, handling and transportation practices for shellfish and requiring them to obtain a no-cost Shellfish Harvest endorsement in association with their commercial license. Links for more information: Commission [MyFWC.com] Commission Meeting News Releases [MyFWC.com] Red Grouper - Federal Action: Gulf recreational season closes Oct. 4 Information: The recreational red grouper harvest season in Gulf of Mexico federal waters closes Oct. 4. Gulf federal waters begin at 9 nautical miles from shore and extend to about 200 nautical miles. The federal season will remain closed through Dec. 31. The Gulf state red grouper season remains open. The bag limit for red grouper is 4 within the 4 grouper aggregate in Gulf state waters. In federal Gulf waters, the bag limit is 3 red grouper within the 4 grouper aggregate.   Links for more information: Groupers [MyFWC.com] IN THIS ISSUE Stone Crab Commission Meeting Red Grouper - Federal  Online Verision Here! SEASON UPDATES October-November State waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles in the Gulf and from shore to 3 nautical miles in the Atlantic. Oct. 15 – Stone crab opens EVENTS October-November Oct. 4 – Kids’ Fishing Clinic – St. Petersburg Oct. 11 – Kids’ Fishing Clinic – Naples Oct. 18 – Marine Quest, FWRI – St. Petersburg Nov. 8 – Kids’ Fishing Clinic – Steinhatchee Nov. 14-16: Ladies Let’s Go Fishing - Keys Nov. 20-21: Commission Meeting – Miami/Key Largo Nov. 29: Saltwater License Free Fishing Day Contact: 850-487-0554 ormarine@myfwc.com Get the Marine Fisheries Monthly via email at MyFWC.com by clicking on “Sign up for updates ” Stacey Volsung, 7, holds a sea robin caught in Charlotte Harbor. Photo by Tatiana Levine

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