The recreational harvest of greater amberjack and gray triggerfish in Gulf of Mexico state waters (shore to 9 nautical miles) reopens Aug. 1.
In Gulf federal waters, greater amberjack will also open Aug. 1, but gray triggerfish will remain closed through Dec. 31.
In both state and federal Gulf waters, greater amberjack must be larger than 30 inches when measured from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail to be harvested when the season is open. There is a daily bag limit of one fish per person.
Gray triggerfish must be larger than 14 inches when measured from the lower jaw to the fork of the tail to be taken in state and federal Gulf waters when the season is open. There is a two-fish daily bag limit per person.
Seasonal harvest closures, as well as size and bag limits, help conserve Florida’s valuable greater amberjack and gray triggerfish populations and improve opportunities in these fisheries for the future.
Learn more about recreational fishing at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater” and “Recreational Regulations.”
Reef fish gear rules apply when fishing for greater amberjack. In Gulf waters, this means anglers must use circle hooks, and have a dehooking device and a venting tool on their vessel. Using these tools will help increase a fish’s chance of survival if it is caught and returned to the water.
NOAA Fisheries Announces the Closure Date for Gulf of Mexico Greater Amberjack Commercial and Recreational Sectors
The commercial and recreational harvest of greater amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico will be closed at 12:01 a.m. on August 25, 2014 , and remain closed until January 1, 2015. The 2014 landings data indicate the 409,000 – pound commercial annual catch target and the 8 88,839 – pound recreational annual catch target will be harvested by August 24 , 2014.
During the closure:
- Commercial harvest or possession of greater amberjack is prohibited.
- Recreational harvest or possession of greater amberjack is prohibited.
The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a valid Gulf of Mexico commercial reef fish vessel permit or a reef fish charter/headboat permit.
This closure is necessary to protect the gr eater amberjack resource. This population is considered overfished (the population is too low)
Gulf of Mexico Greater Amberjack Annual Catch Limit and Annual Catch Target Reduced for 2014
National Marine Fisheries Services has issued a temporary rule effective April 23, 2014, that implements an accountability measure for recreational greater amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico. This rule reduces the Gulf greater amberjack 2014 recreational annual catch target to 862,512 lbs, and reduces the 2014 recreational annual catch limit to 1,031,512 lbs, based on the 2013 recreational annual catch limit overage of 267,488 lbs. The National Marine Fisheries Service determined that the 2013 recreational greater amberjack landings were 1,566,488 lbs, which exceeded the 2013 recreational annual catch limit of 1,299,000 lbs. In accordance with regulations at 50 CFR 622.41(a)(2)(ii), if recreational landings exceed the recreational annual catch target, then during the following fishing year, both the recreational annual catch target (recreational quota) and the recreational annual catch limit will be reduced by the amount of the prior year’s recreational annual catch limit overage. The 2015 recreational annual catch target for greater amberjack will return to 1,130,000 lbs, and the recreational annual catch limit will return to 1,299,000 lbs, unless accountability measures are implemented due to a recreational annual catch limit overage in 2014, or the Council takes subsequent regulatory action to adjust the recreational annual catch target. About Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional Fishery Management Councils established by the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fisher y management plans, which are designed to manage fishery resources within the 200 – mile limit of the Gulf of Mexico.
Submit comments and stay updated on fishery issues: Check it out! Go to www.gulfcouncil.org and click on the thermometer in the middle of t he page. From there you can read up on all the pending actions, watch the video presentations, read comments, and submit your own. All comments submitted through the online form are automatically posted on our web site for Council review. Other comments are manually posted every couple of days.
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