Florida FWC Commission Approves Redfish Rule Changes
Eugene L. 05.11.22
At their May meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved proposed management regions and regulation changes for Redfish in all State Waters. The proposed rule changes would modify the redfish management regions.
Prohibit the captain and crew of charter trips from retaining a bag limit on top of the client’s bag limit. Reduce the max number of fish a person can have in possession off the water from six to four fish a person. The rules changes would also adjust vessel limits in many management regions.
FWC staff plans to continue to gather input on the proposed rules and will return later this year. At that point, the Commission will host a Final Rule Hearing and lock in the changes. All of these modifications in management regions and regulations will better work with all the regional differences in Florida. As well as improve angler satisfaction in the redfish fishery.
The proposed rule changes would:
- Modify the redfish management regions.
- Prohibit captain and crew from retaining a bag limit when on a for-hire trip.
- Reduce the off-the-water transport limit from six to four fish per person.
- Increase the bag limit for the Big Bend region from one to two fish per person
- Reduce the eight-fish vessel limit in each of the proposed management regions:
- Panhandle, Big Bend, Northeast: four fish.
- Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast: two fish.
- Allow only catch-and-release fishing for redfish in the Indian River Lagoon region.
The modification of redfish management regions and regulations, as part of the new management approach, will better capture regional differences and improve angler satisfaction.
For more information, including the May 2022 Commission meeting presentation, visit MyFWC.com/Commission and click on “Commission Meetings.”
For current recreational redfish regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Redfish.” This page will be updated with the new regulations when they take effect.
