Red grouper bag limit increased

PANAMA CITY — Local fishermen will be able to double their take of red grouper later this month.

The recreational red grouper bag limit in Gulf of Mexico state waters will increase Dec. 30 from two to four fish, followed by the Jan. 1 season closure of shallow-water grouper in Atlantic state waters.

“This is good news,” said Bob Zales of Zodiac Charter Fleet in Panama City. “When the government gives something back you had better reach up and grab it.”

The red grouper bag limit increase is one of several fishery management changes made at the November Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meeting in Key Largo.

“It shows that the conservation measures the fishermen are doing have paid off,” Zales said.

Zales said the red grouper recreational limit increasing coincided with the raises in the amount of red grouper commercial fisherman were able to garner.

Management changes in 2012 will also affect gag grouper season, which is currently closed to fishing in Gulf of Mexico state waters and will continue to be closed through March 31, 2012. It also includes the regularly scheduled annual closure from Feb. 1 through March 31 in Gulf state waters. Both measures are designed to help the state achieve consistency with federal red and gag grouper management efforts.

Zales said that if the limit is found to be too much, it could be scaled back.

“They can move it down to three or two if need be,” Zales said.

Federal managers are working on a plan to further protect gag grouper, which is considered overfished and undergoing overfishing in the Gulf. The FWC will revisit state gag grouper management efforts in February 2012, once federal rules are solidified.

Zales has been an advocate for local fishermen trying to get fishing restrictions eased.

Recent data suggests some fish populations are increasing, yet regulations are squeezing charter boat captains and commercial fishermen, Zales said during an interview this past spring.

Season closures for red and gag grouper, as well as other shallow-water groupers, are also nearing.

Zales said that not every fisherman will be able to haul in four red grouper each time out. The number of fish a single angler will take home depends on a number of variables.

“It’s better to be lucky than good,” he said.