Recreational red grouper bag limit to increase in Gulf state waters; grouper season closures near
News Release
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Media contact: Amanda Nalley, 850-410-4943
The recreational red grouper bag limit in Gulf of
Mexico state waters (excluding Monroe County) will increase Dec. 30
from two to four fish, followed by the Jan. 1 season closure of
shallow-water grouper in Atlantic state waters.
The red grouper bag limit increase is one of
several fishery management changes made at the November Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meeting in Key
Largo.
Management changes in 2012 will also affect gag
grouper season, which is currently closed to fishing in Gulf of
Mexico state waters (excluding Monroe County) and will continue to
be closed through March 31, 2012. (This includes the regularly
scheduled annual closure from Feb. 1 through March 31 in Gulf state
waters.)
Both measures will help the state achieve
consistency with federal red and gag grouper management
efforts.
Federal managers are working on a plan to further
protect gag grouper, which is overfished and undergoing overfishing
in the Gulf. The FWC will revisit state gag grouper management
efforts in February 2012, once federal rules are solidified.
Season closures for red and gag grouper, as well
as other shallow-water groupers, are also nearing. In Atlantic
state waters, including Monroe County, the season closes Jan. 1 and
reopens May 1. Shallow-water grouper season closes Feb. 1 in Gulf
state waters and reopens April 1.
Shallow water groupers in Gulf state waters
include gag, red, black, yellowfin and yellowmouth groupers; scamp;
and rock and red hind. In Atlantic state waters, it also includes
tiger grouper, coney and graysby.
To learn
more, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on "Saltwater Fishing,"
"Recreational Regulations" and "Grouper."
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