New Snapper Regulations Causing Confusion

Based on the questions people are asking me, and the reports I've seen, there is a lot of confusion about the new 2008 state and federal red snapper fishing regulations. So let me try to explain what is going on and why many fishermen are understandably confused by the new regulations.
The 2008 recreational red snapper fishing season opened in Florida waters of the Gulf of Mexico (up to nine nautical miles offshore) on April 15 and will remain open through Oct. 31. These are the same dates as the red snapper season last year. In addition, the minimum harvest size for recreational red snapper in the Gulf remains unchanged at 16 inches total length.
However, despite the fact that the Florida's Gulf red snapper season opened as usual this year and the minimum harvest size is unchanged, there have been some recent, significant changes to the regulations in both state and federal waters.
For example, the new 2008 red snapper bag limit for sport anglers in the Gulf has been lowered from four fish daily per person to two fish daily per person. In addition, under the new rules the captain and crew of for-hire vessels in the Gulf may no longer catch and/or keep a recreational bag limit of red snapper for themselves.
Now as if the lower red snapper bag limit is not confusing enough for fishermen, this year the recreational red snapper fishing season in Gulf federal waters (greater than nine nautical miles off shore) has been changed. In 2008 the red snapper season will open on June 1 and it will close on Aug. 5. As a result, the state and federal red snapper seasons are no longer the same as they were in 2007.
Adding to the confusion and getting some fishermen into trouble is the fact that until June 1, if you catch red snapper in state waters and transport them into federal waters, you can be cited for being in possession of red snapper out of season. In fact, since the red snapper season opened in Florida waters, the Coast Guard has already issued multiple fishing violations to anglers for illegal possession of red snapper in federal waters.
In an effort to avoid this problem, the Coast Guard in a press release is reminding all recreational anglers that the Florida recreational red snapper season only applies to state waters and that the federal red snapper season is currently closed. As a result, anglers may not possess red snapper, regardless of where the fish were caught, while a vessel is in federal waters during the closed season.
More information about red snapper management and regulations is available online at MyFWC.com/marine/.
Bill Mahan is a Florida Sea Grant Agent and director of the Franklin UF-IFAS Extension Program. Contact him at 653-9337, 697-2112 x 360; or via e-mail at bmahan@ufl.edu.