Temporary regulation modifications for snook, redfish and spotted seatrout in a portion of southwest Florida will expire Aug. 31

A series of Executive Orders were filed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for snook, redfish and spotted seatrout in response to a severe red tide event from 2017-2019.

Currently, snook and redfish are catch-and-release only and spotted seatrout has a six-fish vessel limit in southwest Florida from Pasco County through Gordon Pass in Collier County.

These temporary regulations are set to expire on Aug. 31, 2022, and normal regulations for redfish, snook and spotted seatrout will resume on Sept. 1, 2022.

As a reminder, new state regulations for redfish will go into effect on Sept. 1, 2022, and are listed below:

• Nine new management regions in Florida with three of those regions in southwest Florida (Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor and Southwest Regions).
• The three southwest Florida regions have the same regulations:
  • Slot limit: 18–27 inches.
  • Daily bag limit: one per person.
  • Vessel limit: two per vessel.

See the latest press release regarding temporary regulation modification for snook in Charlotte Harbor.

Visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Snook” for more information on snook regulations or “Spotted Seatrout” for more information on spotted seatrout regulations. You can also download the Fish Rules App at Instagram.com/FishRulesApp or Facebook.com/FishRulesApp for updated regulations.