FWC's Fishing in the Know - May 2021

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In This Issue Commission meeting – May Red snapper – Gulf Stone crab Blueline tilefish – Atlantic Grouper – Atlantic Snook – Gulf Hogfish – Atlantic Amberjack – Gulf Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival 2021 Lionfish Challenge And MORE!   Conservation Tip of the Month Decide beforehand which fish are to be kept and immediately release all others. Knowing before you go increases the survivability of fish you release. Fish Rules App Keep up-to-date with the latest fishing regulations off Florida by downloading the Fish Rules app on your smart device.  Learn more at http://www.fishrulesapp.com

Ethical Angler of the Month Michael Olsen, 8, added this sheepshead to his Catch a Florida Memory Saltwater Life List and earned a Reel Big Fish Honorable Mention. This fish was caught off of Citrus County.  Submit your photos by emailing them to Saltwater@MyFWC.com. Learn more about our photo guidelines.

Commission meeting – May Marine Fisheries items Information: The FWC Commission will listen to public testimony on and discuss several marine fisheries management items at the May 12 and 13 meeting. Advanced comments should be submitted no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, May 7, 2021. Decision making (regulation changes are anticipated to be made on this topic): Multi-day for-hire bag limit (Consent Agenda May 12): The Commission will consider updating FWC rules regarding multi-day for-hire trips for reef fish, king mackerel and Spanish mackerel to be consistent with existing federal rules for the Atlantic and Gulf. Discussions (no regulation changes are anticipated to be made on these items): Roundtable Discussion on Sharks (May 12): FWC staff and invited guests will provide a review and panel discussion on topics related to interactions between fishermen and sharks in Florida waters. (No public comment session. Comments may be submitted in writing in advance of the meeting at com/SaltwaterComments or through the Commission meeting commenting form.) Marine Fisheries Annual Workplan (May 12): FWC staff will review new and ongoing marine fisheries management issues identified by Commissioners, staff and stakeholders that were selected for the proposed 2021/2022 workplan. Goliath Grouper (May 12): FWC staff will provide a review and discussion of goliath grouper, including biology, updates on ongoing research, and stakeholder opinions. Staff will seek Commission approval on next steps for goliath management in state waters, including whether to prepare a draft rule for a limited, highly regulated harvest. Spiny Lobster Mini-Season (May 13): FWC staff will provide a presentation on Florida’s two-day spiny lobster mini-season with a special focus on Monroe County and the Florida Keys. Topics will include management history and recent stakeholder requests related to management in Monroe County. SW Red Tide Update: Snook, Redfish and Spotted Seatrout (May 13): Staff will update the Commission on recently gathered public input on how to manage snook, redfish and spotted seatrout in waters from Pasco County south through Gordon Pass in Collier County. This area was impacted by a 2017-2019 red tide. These species are catch-and-release only in this area through May 31, 2021. Staff will propose a path forward for after the May 31 catch-and-release measures expire. Federal fishery management updates (May 13): The Commission will discuss outcomes of recent meetings of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and will discuss the 2021 Gulf red snapper season. Links for more information: Agenda [MyFWC.com] Red snapper – Gulf  2021 season set Information: The recreational red snapper season will start June 4 in Gulf state and federal waters and remain open through July 28, closing July 29. The season will be open for a total of 55 days. This season applies to recreational anglers fishing from private vessels in Gulf state and federal waters. For-hire operations that do not have a federal reef fish permit may also participate in the season but are limited to fishing for red snapper in Gulf state waters only. If you plan to fish for red snapper in state or federal waters from a private recreational vessel, even if you are exempt from fishing license requirements, you must sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler (annual renewal required). To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/SRFS. Sign up at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. Links for more information: Snappers [MyFWC.com] Stone crab Season closes May 2 Information: Florida’s recreational and commercial stone crab seasons in state and federal waters will come to a close May 2, with the last day of harvest being May 1. This annual closure date was modified last year as part of a suite of management changes made in response to a long-term decline in harvest and because the stone crab fishery is likely undergoing overfishing. These changes are intended to increase the stone crab population and build resiliency in the fishery. Links for more information: Stone crab [MyFWC.com]   STATE SEASON UPDATES May - June State waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles in the Gulf and from shore to 3 nautical miles in the Atlantic.   May 1 – Grouper, several species (Atlantic) opens May 1 -Blueline tilefish (Atlantic) opens May 1 – Snook (Gulf) closes May 1 – Hogfish (Atlantic) opens May 1 – Amberjack (Gulf) opens May 2 – Stone crab closes (NEW date this year) June 1 – Snook (Atlantic) closes June 1 – Gag grouper (Gulf, excluding 4-county region) opens June 1 – Amberjack (Gulf) closes June 1 – Gray triggerfish (Gulf) closes  June 4 – Red snapper (Gulf) opens June 15 – Bay scallops (Fenholloway through Suwannee rivers) opens (Includes Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee) FWC NEEDS YOUR FEEDBACK FWC is collecting feedback on several topics including the Atlantic croaker and spot fishery; dolphinfish; trap fisheries; and Southwest Florida snook, redfish and spotted seatrout. Provide comments on these or other marine fisheries online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments. GREAT CATCH! Rafael Astillero shared this photo of a 31 inch snook he caught on the South jetty in Venice Dec.15, 2020. Great catch Rafael! EVENTS May - June COVID-19 update: We will continue to monitor COVID-19 updates and plan events with this consideration in mind. Virtual Saltwater Fishing Clinics: Registration for these events is currently full. Recordings of clinics will be available in the coming months and additional live sessions may be added in the future.  Lionfish Events Calendar May 11 – Florida-Friendly Landscaping for Florida’s Coral Reef workshop - online May 12 and 13 – FWC Commission Meeting May 15 and 16 –  Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival –  Destin SOCIAL SALTWATER Post of the Month Check out this new video we added to the YouTube.com/FWCSaltwaterFishing channel on barbless hooks. 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!

Blueline tilefish – Atlantic Season opens May 1 Information: The recreational season for blueline tilefish in Atlantic state and federal waters (including Monroe County) opens May 1, and will remain open through Aug. 31. Links for more information: Blueline Tilefish [MyFWC.com] Grouper – Atlantic Season opens May 1 Information: The recreational season for gag, black, red, yellowmouth and yellowfin grouper; scamp; red hind; rock hind; coney; and graysby opens May 1 in Atlantic state and federal waters, including all state waters of Monroe County. Links for more information: Groupers [MyFWC.com] Snook – Gulf Season closes May 1 Information: Snook will close to harvest in state, federal and inland waters along the Gulf of Mexico, including all of Monroe County and Everglades National Park, starting May 1. Snook also remains catch-and-release only in waters from Pasco County south to Gordon Pass in Collier County through May 31, 2021. The Commission will be discussing future management of snook in these SW Florida waters at the May 12-13 meeting. See the Commission Meeting – May section of this newsletter for more. Links for more information: Snook [MyFWC.com] Hogfish – Atlantic Season opens May 1 Information: Recreational hogfish season opens May 1 in all Atlantic state and federal waters including waters south and east of Cape Sable on the Gulf coast. The season remains open through Oct. 31. Links for more information: Hogfish [MyFWC.com] Amberjack – Gulf Season opens May 1 Information: The greater amberjack recreational season in Gulf state waters will open to harvest May 1 and remain open through May 31. The season will open again Aug. 1 through Oct. 31. Links for more information: Greater amberjack [MyFWC.com] Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival Information: The 7th annual Lionfish Removal and Awareness Festival will be held May 15 and 16 at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar and HarborWalk Village in Destin. The festival is in celebration of the fight against invasive lionfish. FWC and Destin – Fort Walton Beach are hosting. Activities will include fillet demonstrations; family-friendly games and activities; art, diving and conservation booths; and the world’s largest lionfish spearfishing tournament, the Emerald Coast Open. Link for more information: FWCReefRangers.com 2021 Lionfish Challenge Turn in your lionfish for rewards Information: The 2021 Lionfish Challenge starts May 21 and rewards lionfish harvesters with prizes for submitting lionfish. Participants who remove the most lionfish in the recreational and commercial categories through Labor Day (Sept. 6) will be crowned the 2021 Recreational Lionfish King/Queen and the Commercial Champion. Register today or learn more about the program at https://fwcreefrangers.com/. State Reef Fish Angler Do you fish for reef fish like snapper, grouper and triggerfish from a private recreational vessel off Florida's Atlantic or Gulf coasts? Then you are a State Reef Fish Angler. Sign up for this required designation even if you are normally exempt from needing a license at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or learn more at MyFWC.com/SRFS.

Florida Coral Crew Information: 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. And while you’re out enjoying the water this summer, remember these tips:  Avoid touching corals while diving. Don’t anchor near corals. Clean diving gear between dive sites. Use environmentally friendly sunscreens.

Catch a Florida Memory Ed Sibal recently added this Spanish mackerel, caught at Pass-a-Grille in Pinellas County to his Catch a Florida Memory Saltwater Life List. Ed has already qualified for the 10 Fish Club and is working his way to the 30 Fish Club. Congrats Ed! Submit saltwater catches and earn rewards You can now submit your vermilion snapper and saltwater catfish catches to earn a Reel Big Fish achievement! The qualifying length for vermilion snapper is 17 inches for adults and 13 inches for youth, while the qualifying length for saltwater catfish (gafftopsail or hardhead) is 22 inches for adults and 16 inches for youth. All Reel Big Fish catches must be photographed over a qualifying measuring device clearly showing the exact full length of the fish. A photo of the fish with the angler submitting the catch is also required. 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

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