The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced a closure of the 2026 recreational bay scallop harvest season in the Gulf County Zone due to very low scallop abundance found in a summer 2026 survey by FWC's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. The precautionary measure aims to allow existing scallops to reproduce and support future seasons.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks released the proposed 2027–2030 Statewide Fisheries Management Plan and will host a public meeting at Billings Public Library on Tuesday, August 18 at 6 p.m. to discuss updates intended to sustain and enhance Montana's fisheries and angling opportunities.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks released the proposed 2027–2030 Statewide Fisheries Management Plan and environmental assessment for public review. The plan identifies statewide fisheries-management goals and strategies to sustain Montana's fisheries. Public meetings are scheduled across the state in August and September.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, in cooperation with the John K. Kelly Grand Bayou Reservoir District, will drawdown Grand Bayou Reservoir starting September 8, 2026, to improve fisheries habitat, control giant salvinia, and allow structural repairs. The water level will be lowered 4 feet below normal pool stage, with approximately 2,100 acres remaining for boating access through January 4, 2027.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued an executive order establishing the 2026 recreational greater amberjack season in Gulf state waters from September 1 through October 13. This aligns with NOAA's federal waters season to prevent quota overages and support stock rebuilding.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued an executive order setting the 2026 recreational gag grouper season in Gulf state waters for September 1-30, aligning with NOAA's federal waters season to prevent quota overages and reduce payback likelihood in 2027.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks implements hoot owl restrictions prohibiting fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight to protect trout during stressful summer conditions. The 2026 season has 23 waterbodies under restriction, similar to 2024, based on below-normal snowpack and above-normal temperatures.
NOAA Fisheries is hosting a virtual "On the Water Wednesday" event on August 19 from 5:00-7:00 pm EST to discuss recreational fishing issues and the industry's future in the Southeast. Regional Administrator Andy Strelcheck will provide opening remarks, followed by community input on maximizing fishing opportunities while maintaining healthy fish stocks.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced harvest levels for the October 2026 Apalachicola Bay oyster season, reopening the fishery after six years with a 2,560-bag annual limit across three reef sites. FWC is also developing updated oyster harvesting regulations for the Big Bend region and initiating restoration efforts in Dixie, Levy, and Citrus counties.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Custer Gallatin National Forest will continue removing non-native brook trout from the upper Shields River watershed beginning August 10 to protect native Yellowstone cutthroat trout populations using rotenone treatment in Dugout Creek and surrounding areas.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a final rule making American shad catch-and-release only in Florida waters. The decision prohibits harvest, possession, sale, and exchange of American shad to ensure sustainability of declining stocks in the St. Johns River.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has expanded hoot-owl fishing restrictions on the lower Beaverhead River beginning August 5 due to rising water temperatures. The restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight daily to prevent fish mortality when waters exceed safe temperature thresholds.
NOAA Fisheries announced that commercial harvest of greater amberjack in federal Gulf waters will close at 12:01 a.m. local time on August 8, 2026, due to 2025 landings exceeding the annual catch limit. The closure, which remains in effect until January 1, 2027, is necessary to protect the overfished greater amberjack population.
Idaho Fish and Game Director Jim Fredericks signed a conservation closure order for sturgeon fishing on the Snake River arm of CJ Strike Reservoir from August 2 through September 25, 2026, due to abnormally low dissolved oxygen and high water temperatures. The closure aims to protect Idaho's second-largest sturgeon population, which has declined 15% since 2022 and experienced 16 verified sturgeon deaths in the closure area.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is calling on anglers to shift catch-and-release fishing to early morning hours due to elevated water temperatures exceeding 70 degrees. Fisheries Management Coordinator Mark Smith urges anglers to stop catch-and-release fishing after noon to protect trout populations during summer heat.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is implementing daily hoot-owl restrictions on the East and West Forks of the Bitterroot River beginning August 1 due to rising water temperatures. The restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight to prevent fish mortality in cutthroat trout waters when temperatures reach 66 degrees for three consecutive days.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is implementing hoot owl restrictions and full closures beginning July 29 on multiple southwest and western Montana rivers and creeks due to rising water temperatures. Restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight daily, while new closures protect bull trout congregating at tributary mouths on the Clark Fork River.
Maryland's Department of Natural Resources implements an August 1-31 closure on striped bass targeting in the Chesapeake Bay to protect younger resident populations during vulnerable summer months. The closure encourages anglers to pursue invasive species like blue catfish and snakehead, which have no bag limits and support ecosystem health.
The Gulf Council will convene at The Golden Nugget in Biloxi, Mississippi from August 24-27, 2026, with public comment on August 26. The Council will take final action on electronic reporting requirements for federal for-hire vessels and work on amendments regarding red snapper management, mutton snapper and yellowtail snapper catch limits, and MRIP-FES pilot study results.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is implementing hoot-owl restrictions prohibiting fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight on seven rivers starting July 22 due to rising water temperatures. The restrictions protect fish during periods of high environmental stress and angling pressure.