Starting Jan. 1, the following regulations will go into effect for recreational harvest of blueline tilefish in Atlantic state waters (including Monroe County): A three blueline tilefish recreational bag limit within the three-fish aggregate bag limit for grouper and tilefish in Atlantic state waters. An Atlantic state waters recreational season for harvest from May 1...
May 27, 2023
Category: Fisheries
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Tribal Efforts Help Assess Sturgeon Populations
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe received a NOAA Species Recovery grant in 2018 to assess the current number of Atlantic sturgeon spawning populations and expand the ecological knowledge and stewardship of the Pamunkey and Mattaponi Rivers. Fish That Lived Alongside Dinosaurs Now Face Extinction Every few years, reports surface in the media about a scaly, prehistoric-looking...
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Gray Triggerfish Numbers Increasing in Gulf
An interim analysis of gray triggerfish, using video surveys to estimate abundance, showed that the gray triggerfish stock size has been increasing, especially in the eastern Gulf, and that catch limits can be increased. The Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee recommended increasing the gray triggerfish acceptable biological catch limit to 456,900 pounds whole weight, which...
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Circle Hooks Required for Stripers Beginning Jan. 1
MOREHEAD CITY – Recreational anglers will be required to use circle hooks when fishing for striped bass with natural bait in coastal ocean waters beginning Jan. 1, 2021. The requirement pertains to all recreational fishing (including possession) using a hook and line with natural bait for striped bass. The circle hooks must be non-offset and...
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Tribal Efforts Help Assess Sturgeon Populations
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe received a NOAA Species Recovery grant in 2018 to assess the current number of Atlantic sturgeon spawning populations and expand the ecological knowledge and stewardship of the Pamunkey and Mattaponi Rivers. Fish That Lived Alongside Dinosaurs Now Face Extinction Every few years, reports surface in the media about a scaly, prehistoric-looking...
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Gulf Council Update on Red Snapper
The Council received a presentation on the preliminary results of “The Great Red Snapper Count” that involved the collaboration of 21 scientists and 12 institutions across the Gulf of Mexico. These scientists used novel approaches to estimate the absolute abundance of age 2+ red snapper Gulf-wide. The project estimates that there are 23,000,000 red snapper...
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California: Kern County Fish Hatchery to Close Temporarily for Repairs
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is announcing the temporary closure on Dec. 1 of the Kern River Hatchery in Kern County. The purpose of the closure is to complete much needed repairs so that, once reopened, the hatchery can serve as a recreational resource for visitors and produce Kern River rainbow trout...
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Lake Superior Management Update Nov. 18
BAYFIELD, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. to discuss the management of Lake Superior’s unique resources. The Nov. 18 virtual meeting will address: the proposed new lake trout quota; the proposed new cisco quota; and potential rule change options associated with the...
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Gulf Council Webinar on Red Drum, Reef Fish Nov. 17
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will host a public hearing via webinar on proposed Reef Fish Amendment 48 and Red Drum Amendment 5. The webinar will be held on November 17, 2020 beginning at 6:00 PM EST. Register for the webinar here. The Council must define maximum sustainable yield (MSY), maximum fishing mortality...
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Atlantic Sturgeon Return to South Carolina’s Pee Dee River
Tracking of endangered Atlantic sturgeon suggests successful spawning and population growth. David Hood of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and Fritz Rohde and Twyla Cheatwood of NOAA Fisheries, record measurements of the recaptured Atlantic sturgeon in the Pee Dee River. The fish measured 6 feet long, and weighed 90 pounds. Credit: NOAA Fisheries....