The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved regulation changes for cobia and redfish in state waters and a temporary modification to the 2022 recreational blueline tilefish season in Atlantic state waters.
Redfish
The proposed management regions and regulation changes for redfish would
Modify the redfish management regions. (See map below)
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.
Cobia
Changes effective July 1, 2022, for cobia in state waters include
Increasing the minimum size limit from 33 inches to 36 inches fork length for all state waters.
Reducing the commercial bag limit from two to one fish per harvester per day for Atlantic state waters.
Reducing the recreational and commercial vessel limit from six to two fish per vessel per day for Atlantic state waters.
These changes are consistent with pending regulations in Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic federal waters.A recent stock assessment determined the cobia stock is undergoing overfishing, and as a result, reductions in current harvest are needed. These changes for commercial and recreational harvesters in state and federal waters are necessary to end overfishing, improve stock abundance and ensure future cobia fishing opportunities, FWC said.
