FWC approves conditional Gulf amberjack recreational closed season

For immediate release: April 6, 2011
Contact: Lee Schlesinger, 850-487-0554

FWC approves conditional Gulf amberjack recreational closed season

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Wednesday approved a rule amendment to establish a two-month closed recreational harvest season for amberjack in Gulf of Mexico state waters that would be consistent with anticipated new rules in Gulf federal waters. Gulf amberjack are considered to be overfished and undergoing overfishing.

The FWC believes that applying the same closed recreational harvest season for amberjack in Gulf state waters (inside nine nautical miles from shore) as in federal offshore waters would maximize fishing opportunities for anglers and charter boat operators along Florida’s Gulf coast.

The FWC rule for Gulf state waters would establish a June 1 through July 31 closed recreational harvest season for amberjack each year. This closed season is contingent upon approval of the same recreational amberjack closed season in Gulf federal waters.

More information regarding the FWC’s Gulf amberjack approved rule amendment is available online at MyFWC.com/Commission, linked from the April 6-7 meeting agenda. This rule takes effect on June 1, contingent upon approval of the federal Gulf amberjack recreational closed season.