BigBendFishing.Net

Hello all,

I haven't seen any responses to the limited 2023 Gag season, and was wondering if everyone was aware of it.
The 2023 recreational season for gag grouper in Gulf state waters will be open Sept. 1 – Nov. 10.

https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/gag-season-722/

FWC reports they need this to protect the species. From what I have seen out of Carrabelle, the number of Gags have been increasing. We had 7 months of Gag fishing this year, but next year only two months and ten days. In 2022 we could fish for Gags in the spring, Red Snapper in the summer, and then Gags in the fall. This is going limit how much I fish next year in the spring and fall.

It would probably help if more recreational anglers would participate in the surveys. More and accurate information would benefit FWC to determine bag limits and seasons.

I don't fish for grouper much, but that seems like a big difference from the current open season.

•Gulf - State waters off Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties: Open April 1–June 30, & Sept 1–Dec. 31.
•Gulf - State waters off all other counties: Open June 1–Dec. 31

The rule also states "This change is consistent with pending regulations in adjacent federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico." So the same rule will apply to Federal waters.

Another website forum said "The commercial sector is having their gag quota reduced BY 80% starting 2023, they will be able to land 20% of what they are currently allotted."

I can't wait to see how much Gag Grouper cost at the market next year.

I wonder if the same "experts" who massively undercounted red snapper populations for years are the same "experts" who are counting gag grouper populations (and lane snapper and red grouper populations).

"A three year independent study led by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi reports there are three times as many Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico than previously thought." (Jerry Clayton, Texas Public Radio, Study Finds Three Times As Many Red Snapper In Gulf Of Mexico Than Previously Thought (Apr. 3, 2011), https://www.tpr.org/environment/2021-04 ... ly-thought).

If regulators want to reduce the pressure on gags, they should allow more fishing for red snapper and encourage the taking of sharks and a few more goliaths.

Time to contact my congressman.

They most likely have the same crew counting grouper that was counting the Black bear.