(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) – Keep Florida Fishing® (KFF), an advocacy arm of the American Sportfishing Association encourages Florida anglers to report their catch data through the MyFishCount website or app during the five-day recreational red snapper season and beyond in South Atlantic federal waters to help improve information used to manage fisheries. The federal South Atlantic red snapper season is open Friday, July 12 through Sunday, July 14 and Friday, July 19 through Saturday, July 20. While the red snapper season highlights the need for private recreational data collection, anglers can do their part and report catch information for all South Atlantic species year-round via MyFishCount.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC), in partnership with the Snook and Gamefish Foundation, created MyFishCount as a way for anglers to complement current fishery monitoring programs and allow anglers to provide timely data to fishery scientists and managers, including information about catches and canceled trips.

“Through innovative collection methods for recreational harvest, anglers will be able to more accurately report their catches and provide valuable science-based data to inform management decisions in South Atlantic waters. Thanks to SAFMC’s voluntary MyFishCount program, more than 341 fishing trips were reported during the 2017 South Atlantic red snapper mini season, many of which were not able to be completed due to inclement weather. This information led to the decision to reopen the fishery for an additional weekend,” said Kellie Ralston, Southeast Fisheries Policy Director of American Sportfishing Association.

“Red snapper is one of the most popular sportfish in Florida, and tools like MyFishCount are imperative to improving long-term management of this and many other species in the South Atlantic. Keep Florida Fishing will continue to work with our partners and the federal government on long-term solutions to expand responsible access to red snapper for Florida coastal communities that rely on the $11.5 billion in economic activity driven by recreational fishing,” said Gary Jennings, Director of Keep Florida Fishing.

Visit SAFMC’s website for more information on the 2019 South Atlantic federal red snapper season and MyFishCount.

About Keep Florida Fishing®
Keep Florida Fishing® is an advocacy arm of the American Sportfishing Association with the goal of ensuring Florida anglers have clean waters, abundant fisheries and access to both. Florida is considered the ‘Fishing Capital of the World’ and home to more than four million licensed anglers, supporting 106,296 jobs, providing $11.5 billion in economic activity and contributing more than $53.3 million for fisheries conservation. Learn more at www.KeepFloridaFishing.org. Find Keep Florida Fishing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram andPinterest.