The wind blew fifteen to thirty miles per hour out of the north east to east nearly all week long. How does that make one feel?  To steal a line from Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea" protagonist, Santiago, following his sighting of the shark, Hemingway wrote:

"Ay, he said aloud. There is no translation for this word and perhaps it is just a noise such as a man might make, involuntarily, feeling the nail go through his hands and into the wood."

But, the past is the past and the season is upon us. The adventure begins anew. Let's go fishing.

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.