Permit, Florida pompano and African pompano

Recreational regulations for state and federal waters

(went into effect August 31, 2011)*

*The recreational regulations in the chart above apply in Florida state and federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic unless otherwise noted.

Special Permit Zone (SPZ)

(South of Cape Florida and Cape Sable)

Management Efforts

In June 2011, the Commission amended the rule for permit, Florida pompano and African pompano in order to provide increased protection for these important species. In the past, there were no regulations for these fish in federal waters adjacent to Florida. The recreational rule amendments primarily establish recreational regulations in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic.

These rules create separate management strategies for each species. The combined bag limit for Florida pompano and permit were split into separate bag limits and the size limits for each species were changed.

The new rules also create two separate management areas in Florida for permit: the Special Permit Zone (SPZ) and Florida waters outside the SPZ (north of Cape Florida and Cape Sable). The Special Permit Zone (SPZ) lies in south Florida, encompassing waters south of Cape Florida on the Atlantic coast and south of Cape Sable on the Gulf coast. The regulations for permit in the SPZ are more restrictive to protect spawning aggregations of permit as well as large permit that support the trophy fishery in the Keys.

The Pompano Endorsement Zone (PEZ) picutred on the map above is a zone created that allows commercial fishermen who hold a pompano endorsement (PE) to use gill nets legally for pompano in federal waters off Florida.

For more information:

• June 2011 Commission Meeting Presentation
• Permit species account
• Florida pompano species account
• Permit, Pompano and Palometa fish ID