There are quite a few regulations that dictate what you can and cannot use as bait while fishing in federal waters or with federally managed species. Many of the regulations aren’t directly related to guidance on the use of species as bait, but do dictate harvest or possession specifications and control how species are treated…
The Gulf Council is comprised of fishermen and other experts in the fishery from states across the Gulf of Mexico. Drawing upon the expertise of these local fishermen ensures that federal fishing regulations are made with direct understanding of, and passion for, our fishery. The Council is pleased to welcome aboard its newest members, Mr.…
Next week, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a hybrid in-person and virtual meeting from August 23-26, 2021. The meeting will be held at the Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. You can also join the meeting by webinar. The public will have two opportunities to interact with the…
BSIA stands for “best scientific information available.” It’s a term used often when making important fisheries management decisions, so it’s helpful to define BSIA, summarize how it is determined, and specify who decides what is BSIA. What is BSIA? The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (The Magnuson-Stevens Act) governs modern fisheries management and includes…
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a 5-day meeting at the Opal Key Resort and Marina in Key West, Florida June 21-25, 2021. You can also join the meeting by webinar. Public testimony will be held on Thursday, June 24 from 2:15 – 5:30 PM, EDT. If you plan to provide…
Recreational red snapper season is right around the corner and we’re all excited for a productive summer fishing season. Most of us take for granted how easy it is to identify the most popular fish in the Gulf because their obvious bright red color is a dead giveaway. Believe it or not, there are at…
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will meet by webinar April 12-15, 2021. The Committee and Council Agendas, and meeting materials are available on the Council Meeting Webpage. You will be able to join the webinar at this link during the meeting. Public testimony will be held on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 from 2:00 – 5:30 PM EDT.…
Federal fishing regulations aren’t always easy to figure out, especially when you start to dig deeper than size, season, and bag limits. In this series of articles, we hope to clarify some commonly misunderstood regulations and possibly even shed some light on things you didn’t know you were allowed to do. Today, we’ll focus…
Have you ever wondered why regulations like size limits, seasons, and bag limits are set the way they are? In this series of articles, we’ll explore the logic used to set fishing regulations. We’ll explain why these types of regulations vary by species and explore the factors that are considered when we set them. …
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will meet by webinar January 25-28, 2021. The Committee and Council Agendas, and meeting materials are available on the Council Meeting Webpage. You will be able to join the webinar at this link during the meeting. Public testimony will be held on Wednesday, January 27, 2021 from 2:30…