The Gulf Council will host its Ecosystem Technical Committee meeting on December 3, 2026, in Tampa, FL. The committee will review contractor-led fishery ecosystem issues, hear presentations on red tide, and receive updates on the Gulf Ecosystem Status Report.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announces the recreational harvest season for spotted seatrout will close Nov. 1 in the Indian River management region, while remaining open year-round in other regions. The FWC's regional management approach uses fishery-specific and environmental metrics to respond to local concerns.
The Gulf Council finalized Gulf Reef Fish Amendment 55 and South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Amendment 44, recommending updated catch limits for mutton and yellowtail snapper based on 2023 stock assessments. The Gulf Council proposes apportioning 15% of mutton snapper and 17% of yellowtail snapper annual catch limits to the Gulf, with no expected fishery closures.
The Gulf Council modified post-season accountability measures for private recreational red snapper to increase flexibility while maintaining state management effectiveness. Payback triggers now require overage exceeding 10%, multiple overages within three years, or any overage during total private recreational ACL exceedance.
Beginning October 28, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) implemented new recreational harvest regulations for Atlantic gag and black grouper in state waters, including Monroe County. Changes include a combined two-fish vessel limit and prohibition of for-hire captain and crew bag limit retention, aligning with federal regulations to help rebuild gag grouper stocks.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources adjusted its 2027 Lake Michigan stocking plan, reducing chinook salmon stock from 275,000 to 200,000 to address declining baitfish populations and salmon size. The modifications allow larger winter-run steelhead yearlings and an additional 20,000 fall fingerling Skamania steelhead, according to fisheries biologist Ben Dickinson.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy are conducting an acoustic telemetry study on lake whitefish in the Muskegon River to determine if rivers can serve as alternative spawning areas. Anglers are asked to release tagged whitefish and report catches to Scott Heintzelman or Matt Herbert to support conservation efforts for this declining species.
A fishing closure on the upper Big Hole River between Saginaw Bridge and the North Fork confluence has been lifted due to improved flows. The closure, implemented Aug. 12 under the Big Hole River Drought Management Plan, is no longer necessary.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is holding public workshops in October to gather input on updating oyster harvest regulations in Dixie, Levy, and Citrus counties. Proposed changes include adjusting undersized tolerance limits, establishing regional endorsement requirements, implementing seasonal bag limits, and requiring harvest reporting.
Idaho Fish and Game closed steelhead harvest in the Clearwater River basin effective October 21, 2026, due to historically low returns and the lowest steelhead counts at Bonneville Dam since 1938. Anglers may continue catch-and-release fishing for steelhead.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Future Fisheries Citizen Review Panel is seeking a current high school student for a two-year volunteer position. The 14-member panel reviews proposals for the Future Fisheries Improvement Program, which grants approximately $1 million annually for Montana wild fish habitat restoration projects. Contact Bailey Duxbury at 406-565-6995 or FWPFFIP@mt.gov for more information.
Idaho Fish and Game faces uncertainty about fall steelhead stocking on the Boise River due to one of the lowest steelhead returns on record. Surplus fish from Oxbow Hatchery won't be known until after mid-November, with stocking decisions expected around November 20. Anglers should anticipate potential limited availability this year.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources will stock 755 rainbow trout across three locations in Fort Wayne and Huntington this fall. Fish sourced from Curtis Creek Trout Rearing Station will be distributed to Shoaff Park Pond, Spy Run Creek, and Memorial Park, with stocking completed by October 23.
Michigan's Natural Resources Commission enacted regulation changes to Fisheries Orders 204 and 206, effective October 15, 2026. Changes include reopening Otsego Lake pike marsh year-round and adjusting daily possession limits on Au Sable Lake, Clear Lake, Gibson Lake, and Hanbury Lake to boost fishing opportunities.
Platte River State Fish Hatchery in Benzie County completed accessibility upgrades funded by a $300,000 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant. The project includes an accessible paved trail, pavilion, and improved facilities exceeding ADA guidelines, allowing more visitors to explore the historic hatchery and learn about Michigan's fisheries.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has updated its fall rainbow trout stocking schedule for October, releasing 12-inch trout across multiple locations throughout the state. The schedule spans three weeks with specific quantities allocated to various lakes, ponds, and parks, subject to changes due to weather or unforeseen circumstances.
Georgia's territorial waters reopen to commercial and recreational oyster harvest on October 8, 2026, after an extended closure. Commissioner Walter Rabon announced the reopening once water temperatures fall below the 81-degree Fahrenheit threshold required by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program's Vibrio parahaemolyticus control plan.
Georgia's electronic reporting platform VESL, developed by Bluefin Data LLC, is now live for the October 9-22 red snapper season in federal waters. Private anglers must register, authorize trips, and report catches within 24 hours using the app or website. The pilot tests state-led data collection and may enable an additional December season.
NOAA Fisheries published a final rule implementing Amendment 62 to increase Gulf red grouper annual catch limits for commercial and recreational sectors through 2028, and removed the February-March recreational seasonal closure for shallow-water grouper species in federal waters seaward of the 20-fathom boundary, effective October 2, 2026.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting virtual public workshops on October 7 and 12 to gather feedback on African pompano management updates. Workshops will cover pompano biology, fishery status, current regulations, and potential commercial and recreational management changes, with input informing a proposed final rule hearing in March 2027.