BigBendFishing.Net

You can have 5 Grouper, 4 Gag 1 Red as long as you are inside the 9 NM line. The state did not adopt the reduced bag limit.

I thought the grouper season is supposed to close November- January.... What's the dill?

There will be a closed season on grouper all of November and December IN FEDERAL WATERS. You can posess 5 grouper, one of which can be a red grouper, if caught in State waters. Look at your nautical chart. There is a line marked "Natural Resources Boundary (See Note "X"). Note X will tell you this is the nine mile Federal waters boundary. That is the line that the law enforcement officer is going to use. If you have a Garmin Mapping GPS, with Bluechart software, this line shows up in the Bluechart software. Stay between this line and shore, and you're OK. An easy way to find the line on the chart is to look at Marker 24. The line is just west of the marker on the chart. Marker 24 is in federal waters.

Thanks TC- you're the best..

I know ignorance of the law is no excuse, but what have the feds and the state done to inform us? I have yet to see the first public information about any of this. Are you supposed to read through the statutes before every trip?
I wouldn't be upset if I didn't feel like these new regs are because of nothing more than bad stats and good lobbying by the commercial side of things. Anything to legitimately improve the fishing I'm behind %100, but this is #@^*!@

I forgot because of my rant.
Does anyone have a link to any sort of official site that would be something definative?

The definitive rules are located at :

http://fac.dos.state.fl.us/faconline/chapter68.pdf

You will have to dig them out from these spots.
For Grouper read 68B-14.0035, 68B-14.0036, and 68B14.006

Be sure to review these with your attorney "prior-to" each fishing trip.

Aucilla or Atticus will be your best legal representatives on this board...

Good Luck

http://www.gulfcouncil.org/

Is one place to look for fed regulations, I'm sure there's others.

By the way, I was in no way saying I agree with the rules set forth by the gulf council!! Or, that I woulnd't use every sneaky bone in my body to get around them!! I think it stinks!!
I'd just hate to see someone get a ticket for these BS rules

I wouldn't think anyone here was agreeing with the rules. I was serious about the fed and states lack of notification on these rule changes. I know some rules change year to year, but when was this change actually finalized? If I went into a store and picked up a copy of the regs today or on Nov. 1 would these changes be in it? Is there any rule about notification and implementation for this sort of thing? I would think that there might be a real case for everyone to get basically a free pass the first time, due to the lack of notification.
I think we should pool up for a legal consult. We may be able to get in a trip or two at least before a first strike.

If you want to help , join the FRA, as you speak they have 2 lawyers and were in court all day yesterday. They filed an emergency hearing and the judge seemed real interested in whats going on and has put off his decision until Monday. This issue is not totally dead yet. I will keep you posted but as for anyone wanting to do something , join, send extra money, they need it. Trust me without them, there would be a grouper season like snapper , they have been on this for a long time, check out their website. fra.com... frank