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Red Snapper season is a joke, Trigger fish can't be kept, and now they have reduced the red grouper limits and season.



SOUTHEAST FISHERY BULLETIN
(Gulf of Mexico)

FB14-031
Rich Malinowski
727-824-5305

April 28, 2014


Changes to Recreational Gulf of Mexico
Red Grouper Fishing for 2014

NOAA Fisheries is implementing an in-season adjustment to the red grouper recreational fishing season. The red grouper recreational daily bag limit in federal waters will be reduced from four fish to three fish (within the current four-fish grouper aggregate bag limit) beginning on May 5, 2014, and the recreational harvest of red grouper in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, September 16, 2014, until January 1, 2015, unless changed in subsequent rulemaking.

Landings data for 2013 indicate that the red grouper recreational annual catch limit of 1,900,000 pounds was exceeded by 492,113 pounds. Accountability measures established in the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico require NOAA Fisheries to reduce the bag limit and announce a fishing season closure in federal waters for red grouper the year following a recreational annual catch limit overage. The season closure date may change, after additional landings data become available.

This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Federal Register.

Triggerfish limit is two fish in the gulf. Season closed June1 - July 31


I saw nothing about not being able to keep any triggerfish on the FWC site.

If I am wrong, someone point me to the correct info.

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Ok, I did find this:
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishery_bulle ... losure.pdf

But if I am reading it correctly, the state waters closure only applies to Charter Boats, not individuals. Federal is closing to both types though.

Of course, Florida may play "follow the leader" and do the same....
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Dubble

http://www.myfwc.com/media/2791327/HOTS ... Y_2014.pdf

Fed's are complete morons! that trigger fish ruling is only for federal waters, as is the red grouper ruling too, Rhett! so coming back through State waters its 4 per person but out past 9nm its 3 just how moronic is this?? Rhetorical question no need to answer!!

I wish they would just give out tags or an allotment. These seasons only have a few days of decent weather and most have to work for a living. Why spend money on a boat, electronics, tackle/equipment and liscenses. If you can not go when you have time and keep a mess. It's actually pushing more and more people to try unsafe days on the water or just sell out and quit all together.

How many fish are surviving release? Many of you may use circle hooks and even deflate stomachs properly, but what about these big city guys who come a couple times a year? How many women and children on charter boats deep hook all there fish? Not to mention, how many fish are eaten on there way back down or being reeled in? I am all for fishery management, but what we doing ain't working! I want the next generations to be able to enjoy every blessing of the outdoors and being from the South, but I don't want them spending $500 for one Gag grouper! Why don't we get off our greed and realize the problem is in the commercial fishing? If you remember history, it reminds me of the commercial disaster that happened to the buffalo! Stop attacking the families fishing, trying to keep your young people off the streets!

I vote we are allowed a certain amount of fish each year, whether I catch them all in a day, week, month or take all year. If I buy the liscenses, I get my chance to fish. No herding of all the fishermen crowding the landings in one month. Spread it out. No more guys who can afford to take off whenever they want during the few day season hogging all the fish. Make it where families can enjoy their God given fisheries again. Sorry for my rant, but I fight all year to respect the fish I catch such as seatrout. Just to see someone allowed to keep 70 in a day in the summer. Really, you are pinching tails of people's fish and allowing a commercial guy to pile up the carcasses?

Here is my take on the Federal side.

First, the Fed level is bought and paid for by commercial interests. Corruption runs high at the federal level these days. The Federal government has become an agenda driven machine.

Second, commercial interests have all bundled together to forward their cause, mostly by passing money if you get my drift.

The recreational side has about 100 different groups, all with different causes, fractionalizing their interests.

This all reminds me of the way farmers were years ago, all independent while big corporations dictated their prices. Nowadays, some cotton farmers have their own gins and warehouses, and are beginning to be able to control some pricing on the cotton side. Food side, not so much yet. My dad always said if farmers could all unite under one group, they would be the most powerful group in the country (After all, they would control the food supply)

The recreational folks HAVE to all unite under one group, else the Feds will never pay us any mind. Sadly, I do not see that happening. Our "wheel" is not squeaky enough.

Dubble

Dubble Trubble wrote:Here is my take on the Federal side.

First, the Fed level is bought and paid for by commercial interests. Corruption runs high at the federal level these days. The Federal government has become an agenda driven machine.

Second, commercial interests have all bundled together to forward their cause, mostly by passing money if you get my drift.

The recreational side has about 100 different groups, all with different causes, frationalizing their interests.

This all reminds me of the way farmers were years ago, all independent while big corporations dictated their prices. Nowadays, some cotton farmers have their own gins and warehouses, and are beginning to be able to control some pricing on the cotton side. Food side, not so much yet. My dad always said if farmers could all unite under one group, they would be the most powerful group in the country (After all, they would control the food supply)

The recreational folks HAVE to all unite under one group, else the Feds will never pay us any mind. Sadly, I do not see that happening. Our "wheel" is not squeaky enough.

Dubble

Well said!

.

usually catch more gags than reds anyway. Can anyone tell me how to target reds?

Go deeper!

I kinda figured the posting of the NOAA bulletin would reference that I was referring to federal waters.

Sorry mean go Southeast to deeper water. Keeper Reds are in 80 to 110 feet right now.