Atlantic snook harvest closes Dec. 15; catch and release still OK

News Release from the FWC

December 13, 2010
Contact: Lee Schlesinger, 850-487-0554

The recreational harvest of snook will close in all Atlantic coastal and inland waters, including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, beginning on Dec. 15.  The annual winter harvest season closure of snook in these areas, which normally ends on Feb. 1, has been extended until Sept. 1, 2011, by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) due to the prolonged cold weather that impacted snook in Florida earlier this year.

The extended harvest closure will help protect snook populations this winter when they are most vulnerable to cold weather and give snook added protection during next spring and summer's spawning months.  All other Florida waters are already closed to the harvest of snook until next September for the same reason.

Anglers may still catch and release snook during the harvest closure, and the FWC encourages everyone to handle and release these fish carefully to help ensure their survival upon release.
Snook regulations apply to snook harvested in both state and federal waters off Florida, and no person may possess any snook caught during snook closed seasons.

For more information regarding the management of snook in Florida, go to MyFWC.com/Rules (click on "Fishing - Saltwater").