The unrelenting squeeze on recreational anglers clinched a bit tighter for grouper fishermen in Gulf of Mexico waters. Starting in ’09, only two gag grouper and two red grouper can be taken as part of the aggregate five grouper limit in state waters. A one-fish limit on red grouper remains in Gulf federal waters (more than nine miles offshore).

Additionally, anglers cannot keep gag grouper in Gulf state waters from Feb. 1 through March 31 as part of a closed season. In federal waters, anglers cannot keep red or black groupers between Feb. 15 and March 14.

Seatrout season reopens in southern Florida.

There are no new regulations to report on the seatrout front (thankfully!)—just a reminder that seatrout season reopens in southern sections of Florida starting January 1.

The southern portion of Florida area encompasses areas south of the Flagler/Volusia county line on the Atlantic coast. For Gulf coast waters, region is marked as south of a line running due west from the westernmost point of Fred Howard Park Causeway (about 1.17 miles south of the Pinellas/Pasco county line).