Gulf grouper recreational season opens April 1
News Release
Friday, March 25, 2011
Media contact: Susan Smith, 850-488-8843
The recreational harvest of shallow-water groupers in Gulf of
Mexico state and federal waters off Florida, except in all waters
of Monroe County, reopens on April 1. However, the
recreational harvest of gag grouper is still prohibited in Gulf
federal waters off Florida (beyond nine nautical miles from
shore). Also, persons on federally permitted for-hire reef
fish vessels may not harvest or possess gag grouper in both federal
and state Gulf waters (within nine nautical miles from shore).
The Gulf recreational shallow-water grouper fishery (gag, black,
red, yellowfin, scamp, yellowmouth, rock hind and red hind) has
been closed since Feb. 1 to protect gag grouper, which are often
found and caught with the other grouper species. This
two-month closure during Gulf grouper spawning season helps to
reduce overfishing of gag grouper and rebuild its populations so
that larger annual harvests may be possible in the future.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also
reminds fishermen that the recreational and commercial harvest of
shallow-water groupers (including gag, black grouper, red grouper,
scamp, red hind, rock hind, coney, graysby, yellowfin grouper,
yellowmouth grouper, and tiger grouper) remains closed until May 1
in all Atlantic Ocean and Monroe County waters.
More information regarding grouper
fishing regulations (including size limits, bag limits and
fishing seasons) and
proposed changes to Gulf gag grouper fishing seasons is
available online at MyFWC.com/Fishing.
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