The recreational harvest season for snook, a premier Florida fish, opens Sept. 1 statewide. Unique to the region, snook are one of the many reasons Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World.

While the fishery already is more than 90 percent catch-and-release, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) encourages anglers to continue to use moderation when deciding to take a snook home. Gulf snook populations were negatively impacted by a severe cold spell kill in 2010. Gulf snook numbers currently exceed FWC management goals, but are still rebuilding to pre-cold-kill levels, which is one of the reasons why it is important to handle fish with care and use moderation when deciding to harvest one.

When releasing a snook, proper handling methods can help ensure the species’ abundance for anglers today and future generations.

Snook season closes from Dec. 1 through the end of February, and May 1 through Aug. 31 in Gulf state and federal waters.

In Atlantic state and federal waters, including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, snook season is closed Dec. 15 through Jan. 31 and June 1 through Aug. 31.