You have asked for better data and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has listened and taken action. Now the FWC needs your help.

Sign up today to participate in the Gulf Reef Fish Survey. The easy, no-cost process will help the FWC paint a clearer picture of how many people are targeting Gulf reef fish, like red snapper and gag grouper, and what anglers are seeing on the water.

Beginning July 1, 2020, anglers 16 years of age and older are required to sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler if they fish from a private recreational boat for any of the 13 species described in this brochure. Signing up helps FWC reach out directly to people who fish for reef fish species and collect better data.

With your help, we can improve scientific data and management of these important recreational fisheries. To learn more about how to sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler, visit MyFWC.com/SRFS

Are you a Florida resident 65 or older and exempt from needing a recreational saltwater fishing license? 

You are not required to purchase any other license, such as a recreational saltwater fishing license, or pay any other fees to participate. When signing up online, you are still required to click “Purchase a License,” although signing up as a “Gulf Reef Fish Angler” is no-cost. You can also sign up in person at any tackle store or tax collector’s office.

Through this program, researchers will be able to better determine how many people in Florida are fishing for reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico. Many of those who signed up for the Gulf Reef Fish Survey will be contacted by the FWC and asked if they would be willing to provide information about their Gulf reef fish fishing activities. The Gulf Reef Fish Survey will improve recreational data collection, giving the FWC a more realistic picture of what is happening on the water and allowing for more informed fisheries management decisions.

Participants who are contacted by the FWC and do provide information about their Gulf reef fish fishing activities will be entered into a drawing to win an annual, 5-year or lifetime recreational saltwater fishing license.

Want to know more about the Gulf Reef Fish Survey, click here.