Florida’s Snook Opening in Atlantic, Remains Closed in Gulf
The recreational harvest season for snook opens Sept. 1 in Florida’s Atlantic coastal and inland waters, including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River. The season remains closed in all Gulf of Mexico waters, including Everglades National Park and Monroe County, through Aug. 31, 2013.
Anglers may report their catch on the Snook Gamefish Foundation’s website at Snookfoundation.org by clicking on “Angler Action.” This information is important to the FWC in completing stock assessments on species such as snook.
Anglers may catch and release snook during the Gulf closure. The FWC encourages everyone to handle these fish carefully to help ensure their survival upon release.
In the Atlantic, anglers may keep one snook between 28 and 32 inches total length per day. The Atlantic season will close Dec. 15.
Fishermen targeting snook must have a snook permit as well as a saltwater license unless they are exempt from having a license. Using snatch hooks and spears is prohibited.
It is illegal to buy or sell snook.
This Gulf closure went into effect Dec. 15, 2010, after the population was impacted by prolonged cold weather. The closure will give the Gulf snook population time to rebound.
The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission came into existence on July 1, 1999 - the result of a constitutional amendment approved in the 1998 General Election as part of the package proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission.
In the implementation of the Constitutional Amendment, the Florida Legislature combined all of the staff and Commissioners of the former Marine Fisheries Commission, elements of the Divisions of Marine Resources and Law Enforcement of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and all of the employees and Commissioners of the former Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.
Five years later, after consulting stakeholders, employees and other interested parties, the FWC adopted a new internal structure to address complex conservation issues of the new century. The new structure focuses on programs, such as habitat management, that affect numerous species. It will focus on moving the decision-making process closer to the public and did not require any additional funding or additional positions.
