The Captain
Senior Member
Federal fishery managers have announced significant changes to regulations for two popular offshore catches along the Treasure Coast.
Red snapper, prohibited from harvest by recreational anglers and commercial fishermen since Jan. 4, 2010, will reopen briefly on specific dates in September.
NOAA Fisheries announced Monday it has approved an emergency action to temporarily open recreational and commercial red snapper fishing in the South Atlantic region which are federal waters off North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida's east coast.
Red snapper, also called genuine red snapper or American red snapper, are most commonly caught in offshore waters from about 70 feet in depth to 240 feet and from about Hobe Sound north to Virginia.
The recreational red snapper season will open for two consecutive weekends of Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Sept. 14 through 16 and from Sept. 21 through 23. During the recreational season, anglers may keep one fish per person, per day — with no size limit. The cumulative 2012 recreational catch limit is 9,399 fish.
The commercial fishing season will open for seven days, from Sept. 17 to 23.
During the commercial season, the daily trip limit is 50 pounds, gutted weight, with no size limit. The 2012 commercial catch limit is 20,818 pounds.
"I'm glad to see this opening because closing this fishery in 2010 was a difficult decision for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to make, and certainly a sacrifice for the fishermen," said Roy Crabtree, southeast regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries. "I hope this is just the beginning of great red snapper fishing in the South Atlantic and I applaud the council's efforts."
The red snapper fishery was closed to protect the population from too much fishing pressure and to allow the number of fish to increase. In June, the South Atlantic Council recommended opening the fishery this year after new scientific information projected the population will continue to improve, even with some allowable catch. Opening this fishery helps to support recreational and commercial fishing jobs and businesses.
To learn more about red snapper rules, visit www.safmc.net.
BLACK SEA BASS
Friday, NOAA Fisheries Service announced that the 2012-2013 South Atlantic region recreational annual catch limit of 409,000 pounds for black sea bass has been reached. As a result, the recreational sector for black sea bass in federal waters of the South Atlantic from North Carolina to Key West will close effective 12:01 a.m. Sept. 4, 2012, through 12:01 a.m. June 1, 2013.
For vessels with a valid federal charter vessel/head boat permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper, the closure applies to state as well as federal waters.
Black sea bass are experiencing overfishing.
For the 2012-2013 fishing year the commercial annual catch limit is 309,000 pounds and the recreational annual catch limit is 409,000 pounds. Harvest levels must be kept below these levels to prevent fish from being removed too quickly, and to rebuild the black sea bass population.
Black sea bass are most commonly caught in waters of about 60 feet to 180 feet in depth and from about Hobe Sound to New Jersey.
For more on black sea bass regulations, visit www.safmc,net.
FWC MEETING
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will meet Sept. 5 and 6 in Tampa to discuss the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program; gopher tortoise, panther and falconry issues; the anchoring and mooring program; marine life and saltwater fisheries; and modifications to management of Atlantic sea bass and reef fish, among other topics.
As for the black sea bass, the FWC will consider changing state regulations to bring them in line with federal regulations. Proposed changes for recreational anglers include: Increasing the size limit from 12 to 13 inches total length and reducing the harvest and possession limit from 15 to five fish per person per day.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will be at the Doubletree Hotel, 4500 W. Cypress St., Tampa. Sessions both days begin at 8:30 a.m. For the full agenda, links to background reports and information about the meeting, visit www.MyFWC.com/Commission.
Red snapper, prohibited from harvest by recreational anglers and commercial fishermen since Jan. 4, 2010, will reopen briefly on specific dates in September.
NOAA Fisheries announced Monday it has approved an emergency action to temporarily open recreational and commercial red snapper fishing in the South Atlantic region which are federal waters off North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida's east coast.
Red snapper, also called genuine red snapper or American red snapper, are most commonly caught in offshore waters from about 70 feet in depth to 240 feet and from about Hobe Sound north to Virginia.
The recreational red snapper season will open for two consecutive weekends of Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Sept. 14 through 16 and from Sept. 21 through 23. During the recreational season, anglers may keep one fish per person, per day — with no size limit. The cumulative 2012 recreational catch limit is 9,399 fish.
The commercial fishing season will open for seven days, from Sept. 17 to 23.
During the commercial season, the daily trip limit is 50 pounds, gutted weight, with no size limit. The 2012 commercial catch limit is 20,818 pounds.
"I'm glad to see this opening because closing this fishery in 2010 was a difficult decision for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to make, and certainly a sacrifice for the fishermen," said Roy Crabtree, southeast regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries. "I hope this is just the beginning of great red snapper fishing in the South Atlantic and I applaud the council's efforts."
The red snapper fishery was closed to protect the population from too much fishing pressure and to allow the number of fish to increase. In June, the South Atlantic Council recommended opening the fishery this year after new scientific information projected the population will continue to improve, even with some allowable catch. Opening this fishery helps to support recreational and commercial fishing jobs and businesses.
To learn more about red snapper rules, visit www.safmc.net.
BLACK SEA BASS
Friday, NOAA Fisheries Service announced that the 2012-2013 South Atlantic region recreational annual catch limit of 409,000 pounds for black sea bass has been reached. As a result, the recreational sector for black sea bass in federal waters of the South Atlantic from North Carolina to Key West will close effective 12:01 a.m. Sept. 4, 2012, through 12:01 a.m. June 1, 2013.
For vessels with a valid federal charter vessel/head boat permit for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper, the closure applies to state as well as federal waters.
Black sea bass are experiencing overfishing.
For the 2012-2013 fishing year the commercial annual catch limit is 309,000 pounds and the recreational annual catch limit is 409,000 pounds. Harvest levels must be kept below these levels to prevent fish from being removed too quickly, and to rebuild the black sea bass population.
Black sea bass are most commonly caught in waters of about 60 feet to 180 feet in depth and from about Hobe Sound to New Jersey.
For more on black sea bass regulations, visit www.safmc,net.
FWC MEETING
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will meet Sept. 5 and 6 in Tampa to discuss the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program; gopher tortoise, panther and falconry issues; the anchoring and mooring program; marine life and saltwater fisheries; and modifications to management of Atlantic sea bass and reef fish, among other topics.
As for the black sea bass, the FWC will consider changing state regulations to bring them in line with federal regulations. Proposed changes for recreational anglers include: Increasing the size limit from 12 to 13 inches total length and reducing the harvest and possession limit from 15 to five fish per person per day.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will be at the Doubletree Hotel, 4500 W. Cypress St., Tampa. Sessions both days begin at 8:30 a.m. For the full agenda, links to background reports and information about the meeting, visit www.MyFWC.com/Commission.
