Mr. Cook,

Thank you for your inquiry to the Division of Marine Fisheries Management.

As you know, the new rules for state and federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will require all commercial fishers and recreational anglers fishing for any Gulf reef fish species to use circle hooks, dehooking devices and venting tools. These new rules will become effective on June 1, 2008 in all waters of the Gulf of Mexico and affect all reef fish species including groupers, snappers, amberjacks, triggerfish, porgies, sea bass, hogfish, and tilefish.

There is a slight difference in regulations regarding circle hooks between state waters (out to 9 miles) and federal waters. Effective June 1, 2008, regulations will require the use of non-offset circle hooks when using natural bait to fish for reef fish in Florida State waters. Federal regulations just require any type of circle hook. Though it is usually better for enforcement and compliance, sometimes regulations between state and federal agencies differ. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been promoting non-offset circle hooks for many years now and we felt we did not want to step back from that conservation message. Non-offset circle hooks have been shown in scientific studies to embed in the fish’s gut less frequently than offset circle hooks. In general, the smaller the degree of angle of the hook, the less likely the hook will be deeply embedded. The intent of these new regulations pertaining to circle hooks is to increase the likelihood that reef fish that are released will have a better chance of survival if released properly. FWC law enforcement officers will be taking an educational approach for a few months after the regulations take effect. If you have a circle hook that is 1/64” offset, you could take a pair of pliers and straighten it out, just like you would crimp down the barb. For more information, please visit our New Reef Fish Gear Rules webpage at (http://www.myfwc.com/marine/GearRules/index.htm).

"If you have a circle hook that is 1/64” offset, you could take a pair of pliers and straighten it out, just like you would crimp down the barb."

I guess barbless means NO barb and a NON-offset hook means NO-OFFSET. 1/64" isn't much.

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Political Correctness:
A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end. 

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What about trolling lures of Grouper?  Circle trebles?---Naaah, I don't think so.

Life is too short to catch little fish.

 Trolling lures is not a natural bait, so the trebles are legal.