Federally Permitted Fishing in Destin
Many charter fishing anglers fishing out of Destin have asked me to explain the differences in vessels that are “Federally Permitted” and those that are not, and what difference it makes, if any, to the angler, or customer of a charter boat. Here is a brief summary of what it is all about.
2019 Destin Red Snapper Season Announced
Federally permitted vessels are getting 62 Red Snapper fishing days and state boats (non-federally permitted) are getting only 32 red snapper fishing days.
Charter Boats for-hire vessels and Charter boats WITHOUT Federal reef and pelagic permits
First, I am only going to talk about charter boats (for-hire vessels as they are properly called), and not recreational, private boats as they have their own regulations. Charter boats WITHOUT Federal reef and pelagic permits, (state boats), may only fish in state waters.
- A state charter boat out of Destin, Florida may only fish out to 9 nautical miles from shore, which is the limit of Florida state waters.
- After nine miles out from shore you are in federal waters. To be able to harvest ANY FISH in federal waters you must have Federal Permits, one allows you to catch and keep reef fish, the other allows keeping of pelagic (migratory, free-swimming) fish. Now it gets more complicated.
Some fish species such as most of the important food fish like Red Snapper are Federally managed AND state managed, depending on whose waters are you in.
So for example Red Snapper season in Federal waters will begin on June 1st and end in July for around a 60 day season in 2019, whereas the State of Florida Red Snapper season is slated to begin on June 11 and end on July 12, a season of 32 days, with “a possible fall reopening if quota is available”.
Charter boat DOUBLE TIME is a Federally Permitted vessel, so we will have a summer Red Snapper season almost double that of the state season!
Wow, that’s a big difference, so it may matter to an angler who wishes to target those fish in the summer. Another example is Triggerfish. Although they are managed by both state and Federal agencies, the season is the same all year.
However, Double Time can fish in STATE OR FEDERAL WATERS for Triggerfish as long as they are open, whereas a state-only charter boat cannot fish in federal waters at all. Confused yet? Having the Federal Permits also opens up a HUGE amount of the Gulf to be able to fish, even for species that are open in state waters or for species not seasonally regulated such as Vermilion Snappers, Mangrove Snappers, etc.
All in all having the Federal Permits is a great plus for a charter boat, and allows for much greater opportunity and flexibility to catch the “big ones”! Whew! I feel like I just explained the U.S. tax code!!! 🙂
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