New Regulations in the Gulf of Mexico

Greater Amberjack Fishery Closure in Federal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico

Effective October 24, 2009, the recreational fishery for greater amberjack in federal waters is closed.  The recreational harvest in or from federal waters will be prohibited through the end of the current fishing year, December 31, 2009.  This closure is effective from 9 miles out in federal Gulf of Mexico waters.  Florida State waters remain open for the recreational harvest of greater amberjack with the current bag and size limit of 1 per harvester per day; 28” minimum fork length in the Atlantic and 30” minimum for length in the Gulf of Mexico.

In addition, a person aboard a vessel for which a federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf reef fish has been issued must also abide by this closure provision in state waters. This action is required by regulations implemented under the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico.

Based on recent catch data from regulators, NOAA scientists determined the recreational quota for AJs to be full. Therefore, the greater amberjack lockout will start Oct. 24 and will continue at least until the end of the year

NOAA Fisheries Service has determined this action is necessary to prevent overfishing and to keep the recreational sector from exceeding its quota during the 2009 fishing year.

This closure does not include Stuart, Florida Gulf Stream waters nor does it apply to One Call Charters, as One Call Charters is not a federal charter vessel. Still, it is troubling that Florida's fisheries have come to this.

 

Strong onshore winds this week made it very rough offshore, up until this weekend. Saturday and Sunday it calmed down and fishermen were raking in the dolphin. Dolphin are being caught in seventy-five to one hundred and twenty feet. The crew of the NEGOTIATOR reported Sunday that by midday the dolphin started to show up east of the Loran tower in 75 ft and they filled out their limit.

The mullet run continues its move south and sailfish, in surprising numbers, are being taken in between 120 and 200 feet of water. Sailfish and dolphin should begin showing up in better numbers as November arrives. Kingfish are being caught in 20-80 feet of water. Snapper fishing should be steady as long as the sea conditions and bottom current allow. Anglers need to remember that this will be the last week anglers can keep their limit of vermilion snapper caught in federal waters. No vermilion snapper may be kept from November 1 through March 31, 2010.

Also, trout season is closed in November and December each year and re-opens on January 1st.

The action on the beach is the arrival of bluefish and mackerel thick up and down sailfish alley and the largest kings of the season will be found in these same areas. There are still some full grown tarpon around all the bait fish schools.

The first major cold front of the fall season for the Stuart, Florida area came in yesterday and brought with it cold air and northerly winds. Nighttime temperatures dropped into the high forties. This should drop our water temp a little and put the fish on the move. The cold will bring the best run of ballyhoo of the year from now through November when they push south to the keys. Now is a great time to target mackerel, dolphin, sailfish, and other species, in from 120 feet of water all the way up to the beach.

Offshore, there is a lot of bonito, barracuda and kingfish in 70 to 90 feet of water with both live and artificial's working well. A good number of sailfish are being caught to the Nouth of the St. Lucie Inlet in about 100 feet of water. Most of the sailfish hook ups are on live bait. The bottom fishing has been steady for sea bass, snapper and triggerfish. Both live and dead baits are working well.

The weather has been perfect and the water very clean. That combo leads to good fishing when the fish are here. That said, dolphin fishing has been quite good over the last few weeks! That's great, but how about tomorrow? If for instance, dolphin action was great for the last several days around Push Button Hill and the weather holds, shouldn't I expect more success tomorrow? Consider this.

While the exact migration patterns and seasonal occurrences of dolphin in the Atlantic are largely unknown, anglers and scientist are getting a better idea of what the dolphin's extraordinary journey entails. New information provided by the Cooperative Science Services Dolphin Research Program tells us that a lone dolphin traveled from Marathon to Ft. Pierce in only four days. That is an average of 84-miles a day! In January of 2009 an angler fishing off the coast of Puerto Rico tagged and released a cow dolphin with an approximate 22-inch fork length. 88 days later the fish had traveled 381-miles west and was estimated to have grown 14-inches before being recaptured.

 

These examples suggest that if you see a trophy dolphin today, don't expect to find him tomorrow. His brother may come along, but he will be long gone.

Right now, dolphin are beening found from 75 feet on out. For those willing to do some trolling, find floating objects. Dolphin have been caught along the scattered weedlines offshore and under floating debris. The NEGOTIATOR reported smoking hot dolphin action in 70 feet with frigates working the area. He limited out on schoolies between 5 and 15lbs.

Nighttime bottom fishing continues to produce a mixed bag of snappers, groupers, jacks and grunts. Many of the fish are small with the bigger fish generally caught just trolling open water. Its a great way to chance upon any traveling sailfish, or blackfin or yellowfin tuna.

Large schools of baitfish are moving up and down the beach from Palm Beach To Stuart.

Midday temperature today was 90F. Second week of October; It it hot! But then, so is the fishing.

Much of the chatter this week has been related to Push Button Hill. About a ten mile run from the St. Lucie inlet, it attracted a lot of fishermen, with nice things to say about their visit. The numbers for Push Button are as follows:

NORTH PUSHBUTTON PEAK 27/10/95 79/57/85 282 FT
SOUTH " PEAK 27/09/95 79/56/85 276 FT
PUSHBUTTON HOLE 27/11/75 79/58/08
These numbers and many more are available on Home Port Charts # 36 which shows reefs (natural & artificial), wrecks and other valuable info.

Mike Beath and crew of MIKNEVETS reported a calm weather day last Thursday, run out to push-button and landed a 40# wahoo while trolling ballyhoo. Two nice blackfin tuna, two large Bonitos and a cuda made the day exciting.

 

For those willing to do some trolling, find floating objects. Scattered groups of dolphin have been caught along the scattered weedlines offshore and under floating debris. Eric Knipfer of the ONE OF THE GIRLS reported 5 black-fin tuna in less that 2 hrs in 190 feet. The NEGOTIATOR reported smoking hot dolphin action in 70 feet with Frigates working the area. He limited out on schoolies between 5 and 15lbs.

Nighttime bottom fishing continues to produce a mixed bag of snappers, groupers, jacks and grunts. Many of the fish are small with the bigger fish generally caught just trolling open water. Its a great way to chance upon any traveling sailfish, or blackfin or yellowfin tuna.

The first cold front of the fall season stalled over Stuart Thursday, but didn't bring any cold air. Drier air, but not much for cold. Actually, the front is the second of two. The first, which arrived in South Florida on Tuesday, was so wimpy that it really didn’t count. However, it did bring ideal weather and calm seas. Midday temperature today was 84F.

Offshore, the calm ocean has made it nice to cover some water looking for dolphin and blackfin tuna. For those willing to do some trolling, stay out past 200 feet and find floating objects. Scattered groups of dolphin have been caught along the scattered weedlines offshore and under floating debris. Swordfish slowed last weekend but should pick up again with this weekend’s full moon. Nighttime bottom fishing continues to produce a mixed bag of snappers, groupers, jacks and grunts. Many of the fish are small with the bigger fish generally caught just trolling open water. Its a great way to chance upon any traveling sailfish, or blackfin or yellowfin tuna.