It’s Open Season on Florida Goliath Grouper

Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at its Oct. 7, 2021, meeting approved a “draft proposal” for a  highly-regulated and very limited season on the state’s goliath grouper, targeting comparatively small fish.

“Conservation is not about closing a resource forever; it’s about closing it as a management measure and giving access back when we can,” said FWC Commissioner Robert Spottswood. “I believe we are at this point, and it is a small and productive step in the right direction.”

Indeed, the proposed goliath harvest will be restrictive, limited in duration and very expensive for anglers. It’s proposed to open in 2023, with surely some regulation tweaking and lots more input coming from fisheries folks, commissioners, biologists, anglers, guides, and others before it’s reality.

The proposal is for a lottery of 200 Florida goliath harvest permits, one per person, with a trophy fee of $500 per tag. It’s slated to run…