-Keep Florida Fishing® Supports Efforts to Provide 39-Day Season Extension-
(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) – Keep Florida Fishing®, an advocacy arm of the American Sportfishing Association, praised Florida Governor Rick Scott, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and Florida Congressmen Neal Dunn and Matt Gaetz following the U.S. Department of Commerce’s announcement of a 39-day extension of the federal Gulf red snapper season for private recreational anglers. The plan requires Florida to give up some state days in exchange for federal days.
“Thank you to Governor Scott, the FWC, and Congs. Neal Dunn and Matt Gaetz for their support of additional federal days of Gulf red snapper fishing for recreational anglers. While we are grateful for an extended season, it’s clear that long-term solutions are needed in order to address the shortcomings of our current federal fisheries management system,” said Kellie Ralston, Florida Fishery Policy Director of the American Sportfishing Association.
“An extended federal Gulf red snapper season will have a tremendous positive economic impact on Florida’s coastal communities, which depend on our state’s $9.6 billion sportfishing industry. We appreciate efforts to expand access to our fisheries, and we will continue to push for improvements to federal management of recreational fishing,” said Gary Jennings, Director of Keep Florida Fishing.
The original 2017 recreational red snapper season in Gulf federal waters was held June 1-3. The extended season will be 39 days, opening Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Friday, June 16 through Monday, September 4, including Monday and Tuesday, July 3-4 and Monday, September 4.
The added days would require giving up state days on Monday through Thursday during the summer (with the exception of holidays), in addition to giving up a state season during the fall. Changes would only apply to private recreational anglers – not commercial fishing or charter boats.
About Keep Florida Fishing® Keep Florida Fishing® is an advocacy arm of the American Sportfishing Association with the goal of ensuring Florida anglers have clean waters, abundant fisheries and access to both. Learn more at www.KeepFloridaFishing.org. Find Keep Florida Fishing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
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For Immediate Release: June 14, 2017
Contact: Christina Johnson, 850.391.5040, christina@on3pr.com