Snook Harvest Season Reopens September 1 in State of Florida, Fishing Capital of the World
By Space Coast Daily // August 31, 2021
Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World
ABOVE VIDEO: Throughout its 8,500 miles of marine coastline and more than 2,500 artificial reefs, Florida boasts an abundance and diversity of fish species. Every fish that swims in our waters ranks as a vital and valuable resource. With more anglers and better equipment available, catch-and-release fishing has become essential to insuring there will always be adequate stocks of fish to catch. Each of us must take a hands-on approach every day we are on the water to help conserve our fisheries by practicing catch-and-release fishing whenever possible. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Video)
BREVARD COUNTY FLORIDA – The recreational harvest season for snook starts Sept. 1 statewide with the exception of state waters from Pinellas/Hillsborough counties (including Tampa Bay) south to Gordon Pass in Collier County.
These waters are catch-and-release for snook due to impacts from red tide.
Unique to the region, snook are one of the many reasons Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) encourages anglers to use proper handling methods to help released snook survive and promote high species’ abundance for anglers today and generations to come.
To learn more about catch-and-release and the best way to handle a fish, visit MyFWC.com/FishHandling.
A snook permit, as well as a recreational saltwater license, is required to harvest snook unless the angler is exempt from the recreational license requirements.
Researchers are collecting data on the harvest of snook. If approached by a biologist or if you see a donation cooler marked with “Snook Carcass” at your favorite fishing access point, please provide your filleted snook carcasses.
These carcasses provide biological data, including the size, age, maturity and sex of the catch. This information is important to the FWC in completing stock assessments.
Anglers can also record and report their catch data, including information on the size of released fish, by using the Angler Action Foundation’s iAngler app.
If you see a fishery violation, call the Wildlife Alert Program at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
Anglers can report their catch on the Snook & Gamefish Foundation’s website at SnookFoundation.org by clicking on the “Angler Action Program” link in the bar at the top of the page. Visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing” and “Recreational Regulations” for more information on snook.
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