The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported that the recreational gray triggerfish season reopens to harvest in Gulf state and federal waters on March 1 and will remain open through May 31, closing on June 1 through July 31 for an annual spawning season closure.
If you plan to fish for gray triggerfish in Gulf state or federal waters from a private recreational vessel, you must sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler (annual renewal is required). To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “State Reef Fish Survey” under “Reef Fish.” Sign up today at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
Learn more about gray triggerfish regulations at MyFWC.com/Marine by clicking on “Recreational Regulations” and “Triggerfish,” which is under the “Reef Fish” tab. In addition, it reported that the following changes will go into effect on March 1 for flounder:
Extending all FWC flounder regulations into federal waters.
- Increasing the minimum size limit from 12 inches to 14 inches total length (recreational and commercial).
- Reducing the recreational daily bag limit from 10 to five fish per person.
- Establishing an Oct. 15 through Nov. 30 recreational closed season.
- For commercial harvesters using allowable gear: Establishing a commercial trip and vessel limit of 150 fish from Dec. 1 through Oct. 14, and 50 fish from Oct. 15 through Nov. 30.
- Modifying the incidental bycatch limit for commercial harvesters using non-allowable gear from 50 pounds per trip to 50 fish per trip.
- Creating a federal waters trawl bycatch limit of 150 fish per trip from Dec. 1 through Oct. 14, and 50 fish per trip from Oct. 15 through Nov. 30.
