by Cap't. Ralph F. Mariano
rmariano@streport.com

Info on Florida Saltwater Fish -Rules and Fishing Tips


Black Drum

Black Grouper
Black Grouper

Bluefish
Bluefish

Blue Marlin
Blue Marlin

Bonefish
Bonefish

cobia
Cobia

Dolphin
Dolphin

Flounder
Flounder

Gag Grouper
Gag Grouper


Gray Snapper

Kingfish
King Mackerel


Mutton Snapper

Permit
Permit

Pompano
Pompano

Redfish
Redfish

Red Snapper
Red Snapper

Sailfish
Sailfish

Snook
Snook

Spanish Mackeral
Spanish Mackerel

Tarpon
Tarpon

Trout
Trout

Wahoo
Wahoo


White Marlin

Yellowtail Snapper
Yellowtail Snapper

Yelllowfin tuna
Yellowfin Tuna

american_shad_sm.gif (2852 bytes)
American Shad

Swordfish
Swordfish 

Greater Amberjack
Greater Amberjack 

 

King Mackerel - Atlantic

  • 46-30.001 King Mackerel Atlantic Fishery; Purpose and Intent; Designation as Restricted Species.--

(1) The purpose and intent of this chapter are to protect, manage, conserve, and replenish Florida's Atlantic Group of king mackerel, species Scomberomorus cavalla. The chapter is intended to complement Rule chapter 46-12, F.A.C., which regulates the Gulf-Atlantic King Mackerel fishery. Initial measures to reduce fishing pressure on the Atlantic group of king mackerel include special bag limits, bag limits for other harvesters, and season closure for harvesters fishing under the special bag limit to coincide with closures in adjacent federal (EEZ) waters.

(2) King mackerel is hereby designated a restricted species pursuant to Section 370.01(20), Florida Statutes.

  • Specific Authority 370.027(2), F.S. Law Implemented 370.01(20), 370.025, 370.027 F.S. History--New 3-15-87, Amended 11-1-88.
  • 46-30.002 Definitions. As used in this Chapter:

(1) "Atlantic fishery" means Florida waters designated as follows, and all king mackerel in those waters: Between November 1 and March 31 of the following years, the Atlantic fishery consists of all Florida waters in the Atlantic Ocean north of a line extended due east from the coastal boundary between Volusia and Flagler counties (29 deg. 25 min. N. latitude). Between April 1 and October 31 of each year, the Atlantic fishery consists of all Florida waters in the Atlantic Ocean and all Florida waters in the Gulf of Mexico south of a line extended due west from the coastal boundary between Monroe and Collier Counties (25 deg. 48 min. N. latitude).

(2) "Harvest," used in reference to activities of a person or a boat, means catching a king mackerel in or from the water by any means, then reducing the fish to possession. A king mackerel that is caught but immediately returned to the water free, alive, and unharmed is not harvested.

(3) "King mackerel", also commonly referred to as "kingfish", means any fish of the species Scomberomorus cavalla, or any part thereof.

(4) "Spearing" means the catching or taking of a fish by bow hunting, gigging, spearfishing, or by any device used to capture a fish by piercing the body. Spearing does not include the catching or taking of a fish by a hook with hook and line gear or by snagging (snatch hooking).

  • Specific Authority 370.027(2), F.S. Law Implemented 370.025, 370.027 F.S. History--New 3-15-87, Amended 11-1-88, 1-1-98.
  • 46-30.0025 Size Limit.--

(1) No person shall harvest from the waters of the Atlantic Fishery or land any king mackerel with a fork length less than 20 inches, measured from the tip of the snout to the rear center edge of the tail.

(2) All king mackerel shall be landed in a whole condition. The possession, while in or on state waters, on any public or private fishing pier, or on a bridge or catwalk attached to a bridge from which fishing is allowed, or on any jetty, of any such fish that have been deheaded, sliced, divided, filleted, ground, skinned, scaled, or deboned is prohibited. Mere evisceration or "gutting" of such fish, or mere removal of gills before landing is not prohibited.

(3) It is the intent of this rule and Rule 46-12.0035 to expressly repeal and replace Section 370.11(2)(a)3., Florida Statutes, and the remainder of Section 370.11(2)(a), Florida Statutes, as these provisions pertain to king mackerel.

  • Specific Authority 370.027(2), F.S.; s. 7 of Chapter 83-134, Laws of Florida, as amended by s. 2 of Chapter 84-121 and s. 1 of Chapter 85-163, Laws of Florida. Law Implemented 370.025, 370.027, F.S.; s. 7 of Chapter 83-134, Laws of Florida, as amended by s. 2 of Chapter 84-121 and s. 1 of Chapter 85-163, Laws of Florida. History - New 11-29-93, Amended 7-15-96.
  • 46-30.003 Commercial Harvest Limits; Recreational Bag Limit; Gear Specifications.--

(1) Commercial Harvest Limits. Persons holding a Florida resident, nonresident, or alien saltwater products license with a restricted species endorsement and a federal commercial permit to harvest king mackerel from the Atlantic Migratory Group, may harvest king mackerel from the Atlantic fishery upon the following conditions:

  1. The king mackerel so harvested may not be possessed in, on, or above state waters outside the Atlantic fishery; and
  2. The season for harvest of king mackerel from the Atlantic fishery has not been closed pursuant to Rule 46-30.004, and
  3. The following commercial daily vessel harvest limits shall apply in the indicated counties. During the specified periods, no more than the applicable commercial daily vessel harvest limit shall be possessed aboard any vessel subject to this subsection.

1. Persons harvesting king mackerel in the state waters of Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, and Flagler Counties, shall be subject to a year round commercial vessel limit of 3,500 pounds per vessel, per day.

2. Beginning April 1, and continuing through October 31 each year, persons harvesting king mackerel in the state waters of Volusia County, shall be subject to a commercial vessel limit of 3,500 pounds per vessel, per day.

3. Beginning April 1, and continuing through October 31 each year, persons harvesting king mackerel in the state waters of Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade Counties, shall be subject to a commercial vessel limit of 50 king mackerel per vessel, per day.

4. Beginning April 1, and continuing through October 31 each year, persons harvesting king mackerel in the state waters of Monroe County, shall be subject to a commercial vessel limit of 1,250 pounds per vessel, per day.

(2) Recreational Bag Limit. Any person harvesting king mackerel from the Atlantic fishery who does not meet the requirements and conditions established in subsection (1), shall be subject to a bag limit of two fish per person, per day.

(3) Possession of king mackerel in excess of the bag limits established in this rule by any person aboard a vessel fishing in the Atlantic Fishery shall constitute a violation of this rule.

(4) Prohibited Gear. No person shall harvest king mackerel in the Atlantic fishery other than with hook and line gear, or by spearing.

  • Specific Authority 370.027(2), F.S. Law Implemented 370.025, 370.027 F.S. History--New 3-15-87, Amended 11-1-88, 1-1-97, 1-1-98.
  • 46-30.004 Seasons.--

(1) The king mackerel fishing season for harvesters subject to either bag limit established in Rule 46-30.003 in the Atlantic fishery shall be April 1 of each year through March 31 of the following year, unless the season is closed earlier pursuant to subsection (2).

(2) If the commercial season for harvest of king mackerel in federal Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters adjacent to the Atlantic fishery is closed prior to the end of the season specified in subsection (1), the season for harvest of king mackerel under the special bag limit established in Rule 46-30.003(1) in the Atlantic fishery shall also close, upon notice given by the Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources, in the manner provided in s. 120.54(15)(d), Florida Statutes. In case of such early season closure, all harvesters shall be subject to the bag limit for other harvesters established in Rule 46-30.003(2). Once the season for harvest of king mackerel under the special bag limit closes, harvest under that bag limit shall not resume until the season is reopened on the following April 1.

  • Specific Authority 370.027(2), F.S. Law Implemented 370.025, 370.027 F.S. History--New 3-15-87, Amended 11-1-88.
  • 46-30.005 Bycatch Allowance.--
  • Specific Authority 370.027(2), F.S. Law Implemented 370.025, 370.027 F.S. History--New 3-15-87, Amended 11-1-88, Repealed 1-1-96.
  • 46-30.006 Other Prohibitions.--
  • (1) No person shall possess, transport, buy, sell, exchange or offer to buy, sell or exchange any king mackerel harvested in violation of any provision or condition of this chapter.
  • (2) The prohibitions of this chapter apply as well to any or all persons operating a vessel in the Atlantic fishery, who shall be deemed to have violated any prohibition which has been violated by another person aboard.
  • Specific Authority 370.025, 370.027, F.S. Law Implemented 370.025, 370.027(2), F.S. History - New 3-15-87.
  • 46-30.007 Severability.--
  • Specific Authority 370.025, 370.027, F.S., Chapter 83-134, Laws of Florida, as amended by Chapter 84-121, Laws of Florida. Law Implemented 370.025, 370.027, F.S., Chapter 83-134, Laws of Florida, as amended by Chapter 84-121, Laws of Florida. History - New 3-15-87, Repealed 1-1-96.

If you would like further information call the Marine Fisheries Commission at 850-487-0554

e-Mail us at: MFC_FL@DEP.STATE.FL.US

 

WBFA NEWS RELEASE

Women's Bass Fishing Association Announces Its
"Fun In The Sun" All-American Pro/Am InvitationAl

AURORA, KY -- The All-American "Fun In The Sun" Pro/AM Invitational will be held at Kentucky Lake/Barkley Lake, August 8th -13th, 1999. $62,000 cash and prize awards including a fully rigged Triton TR19 bass boat. Entry fee is $375.00 for pros and $175.00 for amateurs. Big fish pot is $45.00 for pros and $30.00 for amateurs.

The WBFA Tour is the only National Tour, which offers professional and amateur women alike, a venue to bass fish competitively among their peers. Professional competitors include Penny Berryman, Pam Martin, Sherrie Brubaker, Sherrie Glasgow, Marcia Fann and may others. The Women's Bass Fishing Association was formed in 1997 and will hold its second Classic World Championship of Women's Bass Fishing in October on the Red River at the Grand Casino Avoyelles in Marksville, LA.

Ray Scott, founder of B.A.S.S., will be the emcee of the WBFA Tour World Championship.

Contenders for the World Championship, Rookie, Amateur and Angler of the Year will be decided at the next WBFA Tour event, which will be held on Kentucky/Barkley Lakes in August. That event named the All-American Invitational Pro/Am "Fun In The Sun" event is scheduled for August 8-13. The All-American Invitational Pro/Am event serves as the last event of the 1999 season as well as the FIRST point carrying event of the 2000 season.

Information about the WBFA Tour can be found on their web site at www.wbfatour.com or by calling (205) 663-5243.

The WBFA Tour is sponsored nationally by Mercury Motors, Triton Boats, DEKA Marine Master Batteries, Minn Kota, Spiderwire, Mitchell Rods and Reels, Humminbird Electronics, Magellan GPS and Flowmaster Exhaust Systems.

CCA Pasco Chapter News Release

Pasco County & Coastal Conservation Association
Announce Flats Slam Fishing Tournament

PORT RICHEY, FL - Bring your boat, rod and reel to the first-annual, jointly sponsored Pasco County/Coastal Conservation Association Flats Slam Fishing Tournament which will be held August 28-29, 1999 at Hooter's Restaurant in Port Richey, FL.

This environmentally-sensitive, catch-and-release tournament, sanctioned by the Saltwater Flats Fishing Association (SFFA), offers fishing opportunities for anglers of all ages and skill levels, and a cash payout of up to $5,000. The tournament entry fee is $200 and qualifying categories include General, Artificial, and Adult/Child. There can be up to 3 anglers per team. The first Captain's Meeting will be held at Hooters Restaurant in Port Richey at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 27.

Winning Pasco Flats Slam anglers can also qualify for the SFFA's Ranger Boats/Evinrude Outboards Saltwater Flats Fishing National Championship Tournament. The final SFFA tournament, with a prize payout of more than $125,000, will be held at Bahia Beach in Tampa Bay from November 16-21, 1999.

Funds raised from this tournament will be used by the Pasco County Tourism Development Council and the Coastal Conservation Association to develop eco-tourism opportunities in Pasco. The CCA is a national organization dedicated to conserving and protecting Florida's marine resources. The Pasco County Tourism Development Council is an appointed board that advises and makes recommendations regarding tourism promotion, to the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners.

Media Contact:
Heather Sherer-Berkoff - 813.908.5444
Tournament Information:
Steve Bowler - 727.861.3474

 

 

 

 

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