Don’t keep any more amberjack caught in Gulf waters this year. The Florida Fish & Wildlife (FWC) Commission, to make regulations for state waters conform to federal regs, closed the recreational fishery in November. The feds closed catch-and-keep fishing for amberjack on Sept. 28.

What for? Federal fishing rules, which change year to year, are based on quotas for the aggregate weight of fish caught and kept — an estimate whose accuracy can’t be certified, but is the best number available. The quotas are meant to maintain sustainable fisheries by preventing over-fishing.

FWC generally tries to keep state rules in sync with federal changes, but not always. For example, the federal-waters season for red grouper is closed but the state season remains open.

What for? Earlier this year, FWC reduced the daily bag limit from four red grouper to two. That’s supposed to reduce the impact on the federal quota.

Offshore fishing seasons with consistent dates and limits are old-days history now. Changes come on short notice, making it necessary for fishing-doers to stay informed.

The latest detailed regulations for amberjack and red grouper are posted online at MyFWC.com/fishing. Click there on the saltwater and “recreational regulations” links.

Look there again in January, when amberjack can be caught and kept again.

Triggerfish too

FWC also changed the minimum keeper size for Atlantic gray triggerfish from 14 inches to 12 inches, an amendment to the regulation it adopted in July. The same change was made to the statewide sale and import size limit.

The July rule was enacted for consistency with federal regulations, but stakeholders in the southeast argued for the 12-inch size tail-fork limit on grounds that gray triggerfish off the southeast Florida shore have a smaller average size than in other areas of the Atlantic coast.

The bag limit is 10 fish. The amended rule is to expire at the end of next October, after a new stock assessment of gray triggerfish.

Species in peril

The long-awaited Florida Imperiled Species Management Plan has been posted for public review and input. You’ll be surprised how many you’ve never heard of. With supporting documents, the plan is a miniencyclopedia of the state’s natural world, and shouldn’t be missed.

It covers management proposals for all these species: l The Southeastern tessellated darter and eight other fish.

• The American oystercatcher and 20 other birds.
• The Florida Keys mole skink and 11 other reptiles.
• The Georgia blind salamander and three other amphibians.
• The Black Creek crayfish and two other invertebrates.
• The Homosassa shrew and seven other mammals.

The plan includes photos of each creature, and maps showing the areas they inhabit. To meet them, begin at www.MyFWC.com/imperiled.

Alga blooms

Before scheduling a fishing trip to the Gulf Coast, it would be smart to check on the status of red tide alga blooms.

November brought bad news of red tide alga blooms causing fish kills as far south as the waters off Charlotte and Lee counties. The problem began in September, and it also causes eye, nose and throat irritation for humans.

The bloom in waters of the central and southern Gulf coast was not as severe as that of the Panhandle when it was described last month, but winds and currents move red tide around. That’s probably what caused a trace amount off Miami-Dade County, were red tide rarely occurs.

Don’t plan or cancel a trip on the basis of this report, but before making a decision go online to www.MyFWC.com/RedTide for up-to-date status reports.

See http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide.

‘Dirtbag cowards’ shoot at FWC officer

Clap hands for David Brady, an FWC patrol officer who in November was awarded a Medal of Valor for saving a life — his own — and a purple heart medal for two bullet wounds that weren’t serious. Right, there’s no such thing as a not-serious bullet wound, but these were medically minor.

“I just did what I was trained to do and I’m happy that I got to go home at the end,” Brady said.

Brady’s scare happened on Aug. 7 when he was dispatched to a disturbance on a sailboat in St. Andrew’s Pass at Panama City. He brought his patrol boat alongside. Two young fellows were on the sailboat. One of them went below for the ID papers Brady asked to see.

He came back on deck with a pistol and fired at the officer, who shot back and leaped overboard. The sailors hijacked the police boat, beached it and fled ashore but couldn’t escape a small army of local police.

Brady was pulled from the water by a Coast Guard patrol and taken to a hospital where he was treated and released. One bullet had grazed his collarbone and one caused a superficial wound to the lower abdomen. Another was stopped by his bulletproof vest.

“This can happen in Panama City,” said Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen. “People think it can’t, but it can.” The sheriff called the two captured sailors “dirt bag cowards” named Samuel Reager, 18, and Lachlan Akins, 20, both from Michigan. Reager, accused of being the shooter, was treated for a bullet wound in his left hand, and was charged with several offenses including attempting to murder a police officer.

Family fun

One of the best ways of getting to know Biscayne National Park is the annual Family Fun Fest, which begins its 16th season on Sunday, Dec. 13, at 1 p.m.

As its name implies, the monthly Sunday event is meant to serve whole families, from toddlers to adults. This time, its focus ranges beyond Biscayne to feature the features of other national parks — a tie-in to the 2016 celebration of the National Park Service’s 100th year.

Fun Fest stages five hands-on activities including games, science experiments, presentations and craft projects, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Family Fun Fest Sundays after Dec. 13 are Jan. 10, Feb. 14, March 13, and April 10.

For more detailed information you can visit: www.nps.gov/bisc/learn/kidsyouth/familyfunfest.htm.

For driving directions, see Biscayne’s home page, www.nps.gov/BISC. You may find it more like fun to park free in Homestead and ride the city’s free national park trolley shuttle from Losner Park at 104 N. Krome Ave.

Scheduled departure times are at 9:28 and 11 a.m. to arrive at the Biscayne visitor center in time for Fun Fest. Afternoon departure times are 12:53, 2:20 and 3:56.

Nominations being accepted

Do you know someone who ought to be on the Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel, which advises the National Marine Fisheries Service on Atlantic tuna, sharks, swordfish and other billfish?

The nomination deadline is Monday, Dec. 7, to fill 11 vacancies on the 33-member panel.

NMFS needs four new members from recreational fishing organizations, three from the commercial fishing industry and three from the academic/scientific milieu.

To nominate by e-mail, contact HMSAP.Nominations@noaa.gov and type “HMS AP nominations” in the subject line.

By snail mail, address nominations to Margo Schulze-Haugen, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, NMFS SF1, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring MD 20910.

Criteria and other details are posted in the Federal Register. For still more info, call Craig Cockrell at 301- 427-8503.