Limited Fall Season For Gulf Gray Triggerfish

At its July meeting in Orlando, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved several management changes for gray triggerfish caught in Gulf of Mexico state waters, including a limited fall season and several conservation measures.

Due to the 2016 federal quota being exceeded, the Gulf recreational gray triggerfish season was closed in state and federal waters for all of 2017. After considering public testimony at the July 2017 meeting, the Commission directed staff to issue an executive order to reopen the fishery for a limited season this fall. Staff will issue another press release once the season has been determined. The season will also be posted online and will be found at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Triggerfish.”

Approved federal consistency changes include (to go into effect only after federal regulations go into effect, likely sometime in 2018):

•  Decreasing the recreational daily bag limit from two to one fish per person.
•  Increasing the recreational size limit from 14 to 15 inches fork length.
•  Creating a January through February annual recreational closure in addition to the current June through July annual spawning closure.

These federal consistency measures should help maintain fishing opportunities for gray triggerfish in state and federal waters for 2018 and the future.
For more information on these changes or to view the presentations given at the Commission meeting, visit MyFWC.com/Commission and select “Commission Meetings” then click on the link below “Next Meeting.”

Edit: Fall Season Dates Have Been Announced!

Gray triggerfish will open in Gulf of Mexico state waters Sept. 1 through 4, Sept. 9 and 10, Oct. 7 and 8, and Oct. 14 and 15 for recreational harvest. During this season opening, the Gulf state waters minimum size limit is 14 inches fork length and the daily bag limit is two per person, per day.

“The FWC has heard from many anglers who are seeing more and bigger gray triggerfish, and we have listened to their requests for additional and sustainable fishing opportunities,” said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Chairman Brian Yablonski.  “We are pleased to announce new triggerfish fishing days in state waters, especially the Sept. 1 through 4 season dates, which are also when the popular red snapper season is open in state and federal Gulf waters.”