OUTDOORS: Recreational Harvest of Hogfish closing

Fishing closes in Atlantic and Florida Keys starting Nov. 1.

Hogfish recreational harvest will close in state and federal waters off the east coast of Florida and the Florida Keys starting Nov. 1. This closure includes all state and federal waters south of Cape Sable, which is on the Gulf side of Florida, and up the Atlantic coast to the Florida/Georgia state line. The recreational harvest season of Florida hogfish in state and federal waters of the Atlantic and the Florida Keys is open from May 1 through Oct. 31.

Recreational harvest remains open in state and federal waters north of Cape Sable in the Gulf. If you plan to fish for hogfish anywhere in Florida state or federal waters from a private recreational vessel, you must sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler (annual renewal is required). To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/SRFS. Sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler today and manage your licenses at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

For current recreational hogfish regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Hogfish.”