Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary encourages the safe removal of invasive lionfish from its waters and issues lionfish removal permits to divers for the collection of lionfish from Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPAs). The permit allows lionfish to be removed from the SPAs, which are otherwise no-fishing, no-take zones, with hand nets or slurp guns only. Spearguns or … Read more
Eager to sample some spiny lobster prepared according to an authentic #FloridaKeys recipe? Spark your appetite with this “nibble” from “Taste the Florida Keys with Chef Michelle Bernstein,” a one-hour documentary exploring the island chain’s culinary culture and heritage. Watch it on your favorite PBS station by checking local listings for the broadcast date and … Read more
George Poveromo and Jim Willcox score a variety of back country game fish on Rapala hard baits and Storm soft plastics! George also talks about some of his favorite Islamorada businesses.
In many areas in the US, fishing is confined to one or two types. In the Florida Keys, there is such variety you can choose a different style of Winter fishing every day of the week and every season. While April through June is considered prime time for tarpon, they are available all year around … Read more
Two generations of fishing guides tell the story of Islamorada, a string of islands in the Florida Keys known as the sport fishing capital of the world.
Islamorada Charter Captains are hopeful. Offshore and flats charters “are a huge factor” in Islamorada’s tourism economy, said Judy Hull, executive director of the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce. “A large percentage of our tourists come here for the fishing,” she said. “That’s why we’re known as the Sportfishing Capital of the World.” Nearly all the big … Read more
Having extra eyes on the water can help law enforcement, aid in the rescue of distressed people or wildlife, and even support research on rare and unusual marine events. Report Wildlife Violations. It is always best when the individual witnessing an incident makes the phone call directly, so that the agency receiving the report can … Read more
Found a nice little patch of structure near Alligator Reef to explore. We got 91 minutes of bottom time on a single 80 cubic foot tank of air each.Watch out for the TriggerFish. Grey Triggerfish Appearance Olive-gray in color with plate-like scales Small mouth with chisel-like teeth used for crushing Dorsal and anal fins marbled … Read more
The Florida Keys are a fragile and unique environment brimming with life and complex ecosystems. Numerous state and federal regulations exist to protect the Florida Keys and surrounding ocean. Florida Keys Rules. Frequent reports of wildlife violations prompted us to create this guide to the many environmental protections that everyone, visitors and residents, should know. … Read more
The Florida Keys’ representative on the FWC board, Robert Spottswood, voiced frustration that it will take until at least 2022 before there could be enough science to make a decision about whether to reopen the fishery.
Information: Florida residents and visitors can experience Florida’s unique saltwater fishing opportunities without being required to have a recreational saltwater fishing license on Nov. 24. All bag limits, seasons and size restrictions apply. There are eight license-free fishing days each year including four freshwater and four saltwater. Fishing licenses can be purchased at 1-888-FISH-Florida or … Read more
Fishing is a key component of the Florida lifestyle as well as the state’s economy. But fishing line and other fishing tackle frequently enter Florida’s aquatic systems as a result of incidental snags or improper fishing line disposal. When left in the aquatic environment, fishing line and tackle create potential traps for unsuspecting wildlife that … Read more
HOW MANY STONECRAB CLAWS IN A POUND? Medium Up to 3 ounces each 6 to 7 claws per pound Large 3 to 5 ounces each 4 to 5 claws per pound Jumbo 5 to 7 ounces each 2 to 3 claws per pound Colossal More than 7 ounces each About 2 claws per pound Super … Read more
Stonecrabs like their water stirred. The Stonecrab season opens Monday. Prices aren’t set yet, but experts expect $20 to $40 per pound, depending on claw size. Florida stone crabs just can’t catch a break. Last year, the season started strong but traps swiftly dried up, the season limping along with very low numbers and high … Read more
The Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program (MRRP) is an innovative statewide project dedicated to reducing the environmental damage caused by discarded fishing line. MRRP aims to educate the public on the problems caused by monofilament line left in the environment, encourage recycling through a network of line recycling bins and drop-off locations, and help citizens … Read more
Another early closure of the commercial yellowtail snapper season has local fishermen again raising the issue of moving some or all of the unused recreational quota to the commercial side. Federal fishery managers will close the commercial yellowtail snapper season two months early this year because the commercial sector is projected to reach its 1.5 … Read more
At its February meeting in Crystal River, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved several changes to the spiny lobster bully net fishery, including directing staff to launch a “Respectful Bully Netting” outreach campaign. The FWC has received input from stakeholders about the increasing participation in the commercial bully net lobster fishery, and … Read more
Most associate Great White Sharks with the waters of New England and California. There have long been stories from local Charter Captains of close encounters with Great Whites in the Florida Keys. These stories usually stayed within the local fishing docks and were not known widely. With the more recent availability of digital cameras aboard the boats and social networks to … Read more
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) needs your input on the recreational stone crab and blue crab fisheries. Share your feedback on potential regulation changes for this fishery. The FWC is hosting public workshops throughout the state in May to develop a better understanding of the public’s view on management of these fisheries. … Read more
Hogfish are a reef species that inhabit rocky bottoms, ledges, and reefs throughout Florida’s offshore waters. They are easily identified by their long, hog-like snout, which allows them to feed on bottom-dwelling mollusks and crustaceans. Because they tend to root in the sediment in search of small prey, they are not commonly caught on hook … Read more