NC fishing regs regarding grouper and snapper

[budwiller]

Can someone please enlighten me as to when I can kill a grouper?

A link explaining the new regulations would suffice but i would like to know what the deal is with the new grouper and snapper regulations.

I have seen grouper killers such as MM crew talking about leaving spots so as not to catch groupers because they can't be kept and was curious as to when this would end.

[Sea Draggin]

FF-51-2009 (SNAPPER-GROUPER COMPLEX)

Here you go.

[Capt_John]

Gonna be May until you can catch one. I'd comment more, but I'd be banned for my language. I'm sure you get my point of how I feel about the law though.

[bunkerdunker]

Other then commercial fisherman. Why cant this be accepted yet. I love to fish for them also. I don't mind the closure it sure isn't going to hurt the fishery. I would like to see the 2 gag limit come back. My thoughts are all based on recreational fishing. I also think taking pictures of you catch and release of out of season fish is not the smartest things to put up on fishing boards. These nuts that are making the rules think these fish are endangered and actions like what I have seen thriuthe local boards are just bringing attention to a situation that does need any more fire.. . Load up on the sea bass you will appreciate the season when it opens back up..

[merry marlin]

Other then commercial fisherman. Why cant this be accepted yet. I love to fish for them also. I don't mind the closure it sure isn't going to hurt the fishery. I would like to see the 2 gag limit come back. My thoughts are all based on recreational fishing. I also think taking pictures of you catch and release of out of season fish is not the smartest things to put up on fishing boards. These nuts that are making the rules think these fish are endangered and actions like what I have seen thriuthe local boards are just bringing attention to a situation that does need any more fire.. . Load up on the sea bass you will appreciate the season when it opens back up..

I don't quite see the difference between taking a picture of a NON TARGETED, properly released grouper during closed season and a 45" red drum caught just for fun!!! How about pictures of short fish wether it's a trout of a bluefin that for sure can't live as long out of the water.... Gags are tough beasts and go back down pretty well.
I wouldn't ever complain about a closure during spawning season, as someone who Loves the outdoors I support it....
MM

[swell rider]

The problem with posting the pictures is because your really not suppose to be fishing on a closed species even if your catching and releasing these fish...I was ticketed years ago, it was writen up as Harrasing wildlife and with the big issue of mortality of these fish i can see it opening up a whole new can of worms..Right or wrong I feel less is more, most enforcement officers really don't have a clue but I don't want to give them any reason to dig into the regs, you never know want they may come up with...

Ken

[merry marlin]

I get your point Ken... That intrigues me even more regarding the fishing for mature red drum coming in the sound to spawn in August. They are seriously "harrassed" so what's the difference?
MM

[Capt_John]

Other then commercial fisherman. Why cant this be accepted yet. I love to fish for them also. I don't mind the closure it sure isn't going to hurt the fishery. I would like to see the 2 gag limit come back. My thoughts are all based on recreational fishing. I also think taking pictures of you catch and release of out of season fish is not the smartest things to put up on fishing boards. These nuts that are making the rules think these fish are endangered and actions like what I have seen thriuthe local boards are just bringing attention to a situation that does need any more fire.. . Load up on the sea bass you will appreciate the season when it opens back up..

I have no problem with a closure if it's needed, but it's not. The data used for this is VERY WRONG!! If it's deemed ok to shut down a fishery on bad data, then what's next? If the groupers were "endangered", I'd bend over backwards to help get their stocks up. But with what's happening now, I'm just getting bent over.

[swell rider]

MM,

You know my feeling on the whole issue but having been involved with many diffrent fisheries both commercial and Rec for over 25 yrs these agency's look for the littlest things to validate there reasoning for the closures and regulations..One of there biggest issues that they have with the Red Snapper fishery is mortality when these fish are caught and released both under sized and legal fish. In talking to a few other commercial fisherman in the area yesterday the 35 yr closure for all bottom fishing from 90' to 250' of water is going to become a reality and that means it's going to be closed to all fishing both recreational and commercial.. I like posting reports and pictures as much as the next guy but the less they see the better. Im going to look into the regulations on catch and release fishing on a closed spieces tomorrow but I have a feeling that since it's a federal fishery there going to be pretty strict..

Ken

[SeaBiscuit]

MM,

In talking to a few other commercial fisherman in the area yesterday the 35 yr closure for all bottom fishing from 90' to 250' of water is going to become a reality and that means it's going to be closed to all fishing both recreational and commercial..
Ken

Whoa Nelly! That would really suck!
Any published info on this captain Ken? Haven't heard this one before, but in the current regulatory environment anything is possible.....

BTW, the only thing I like less than catch and release is no fishing. May God help us all!

SeaBiscuit