The end of the season for amaama, or striped mullet, is coming up.
“Amaama are about to enter their peak spawning season, which increases their vulnerability to fishing pressure,” said Bruce Anderson, state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources administrator, in a press release. “The annual winter closure is designed to help the fish reproduce successfully and protect the species from overfishing.”
Fishing is closed for Dec. 1 to March 31, 2016.
There are both civil and criminal penalties for violating the seasonal fishing rules. The criminal penalties are a petty misdemeanor punishable by fines of up to $500 per violation and/or 30 days in jail. There is no per specimen fine. First offense civil penalties are up to $1,000 per specimen and $1,000 per violation.