Pan-Seared Bluefish with Rainbow Chard, Fingerling.Grilled Turkey Thighs with Lemon-Garlic Asparagus.Spanish Black Grouper with Saffron Rice.

Annual catch limits and accountability measures.In 2022, recreational harvest totaled 3.2 million pounds, according to the NOAA Fisheries recreational fishing landings database. Gag makes up a large part of the recreational harvest in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.Venting tools help deflate the expanded abdominal cavity, preventing serious injury to the fish and making it easier for them to return to deep water.

Barotrauma occurs when reef fish are quickly brought to the surface by hook-and-line and the gas in their swimbladders over expands. Fishermen are encouraged to use venting tools or fish descenders when fish are caught showing signs of barotrauma.Sardines, squid, and ballyhoo are the most productive choices. Live and frozen bait give the best results, but you can also use lures, jigs, and artificial flies. On the other hand, fast currents and strong winds are better for surface fishing. Commercial and charterboat/headboat reef fish fishermen must use appropriate release gear and follow handling protocols to increase the chance of survival for any incidentally caught sea turtles. Warm days without much wind will see you drift fishing the bottom.In certain areas, fishermen are required to use circle hooks to improve the chance of survival of any unintentionally caught fish and to reduce turtle hookings.Sea turtles and other reef fishes, such as snappers and groupers, can be incidentally caught while fishing for gag.Several areas are closed to all fishing to protect snappers and groupers, including gag. Trawl gear, fish traps, and bottom longlines are prohibited in some areas to reduce bycatch.Commercial fishermen mainly use vertical hook-and-line gear to harvest gag, and some also use longlines and spears.Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch:.Most commercial harvest comes from the west coast of Florida. In 2022, commercial landings of gag totaled 910,000 pounds valued at $5.5 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries commercial fishing landings database.Recreational fishermen have a bag limit.Area closures for both commercial and recreational fisheries to protect spawning groupers.Restrictions on the type of gear fishermen may use and where they can fish, to reduce bycatch and protect spawning groups.Minimum size limit to protect immature gag.Fishermen may harvest their individual allocation whenever they choose and must report how much they harvest through a strict reporting program. An individual fishing quota (IFQ or catch shares) program allocates the commercial quota among shareholders.Annual catch limit allocated between the commercial (39 percent) and recreational (61 percent) fisheries.In the Gulf of Mexico, managed under the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan:.A rebuilding plan to rebuild the stock to the target population level is in place with a target date of 2033.Eight marine protected areas closed to fishing for and possession of snapper and grouper to protect a portion of the population and habitat of long-lived deep-water species.Recreational fishermen have a bag limit and commercial fishermen have a trip limit.

Both the commercial and recreational fishing seasons are closed from January through April to protect all shallow-water grouper during their spawning season.

A number of gear requirements and restrictions help reduce bycatch and protect habitat.

A minimum size limit to prevent harvest of immature gag.

Managers limit the number of available permits to control the number of fishermen harvesting these species.

Commercial fishermen must have a limited access permit to fish, land, or sell snapper and grouper species.

Annual catch limit allocated between the commercial (51 percent) and recreational (49 percent) fisheries.

In the South Atlantic, managed under the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan:.

NOAA Fisheries and the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils manage the gag fishery.

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