Red Snapper officially opens for the Federally Permitted Charter and Headboats June 1 and will be open until September 15 this year. We are all looking forward to taking you on a fun family experience in the Gulf for this treasured species of fish. Treasure Island, Pirates Cove, Lighthouse Marina and, of course, Capt. Anderson’s Marina all offer great fishing experiences.
Many questions come up this time of year regarding the difference between State and Federal waters and seasons. The Florida Fish & Wildlife and the Gulf Council/NOAA do keep us on our toes!
Private recreational boats can catch and keep Red Snapper in State waters during their season and in Federal waters during the Federal season. If State waters are closed and Federal waters are open, you can catch Red Snapper in Federal waters, but you can only troll and not bottom fish in State waters on the way back in. (The latter rule applies to the Federally permitted boats, also.)
State-licensed guide boats that do not carry a Federal Fishing Permit are subject to State rules. In addition, they cannot catch and keep Red Snapper (or other federally regulated species) in Federal waters when those waters are open for others. They must have the permit.
Federally permitted boats, usually charter boats and head-boats, can only keep regulated (by NOAA) species when those seasons are open. So, if State is open for a species and Federal waters are not, the federally permitted boats are held to the federal laws.
If you are uncertain of the seasons for each species, you can download the ‘Fish Rules’ app and find the seasons for almost any fish in the Gulf–or the Bays and Rivers, for that matter. You can choose saltwater or freshwater fishing, give your location, and the app will show you the latest regulations for most species. When in doubt, you can find information at www.myFWC.com or www.gulfcouncil.org.
The ‘Federal boats’ prefer having a season with consecutive days over a period of time so that customers can more easily plan their vacations. Since many private recreational boat owners have only weekends to fish, unless it’s during a vacation, they prefer the weekend openings. This is the main reason the State and Federal seasons are not the same.
Like I’ve said before, it gets complicated… but it’s working. The private anglers have seasons that work for them, as do the Federal recreational boats. The data collection has improved immensely since the States took over that process; this has led to increasing seasons.
At Capt. Anderson’s Marina, we have 5 State Guide Boats, 4 Dive Boats, 35 federally permitted Charter Boats, and 3 federally permitted Head-boats to serve you. The summer fishing season is upon us; be sure to reserve your favorite boat soon!
In addition, the Dolphins are performing for the patrons of the Capt. Anderson III Shell Island/Dolphin cruises. The Sea Patriot patrons are having a thrilling ride. Capt. Max’s Upper Deck Bar & Grill is cooking up some new dishes to delight you as you watch the boats come in! And, the Event Center is busy with summer weddings!
Capt. Anderson’s Marina…Where the fish are always biting, and the kids are always smiling. www.CaptAndersonsMarina.com. It’s not just your average marina!
