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Boating Tips

App Helps Anglers Follow Saltwater Fishing Rules

After she successfully lands the fish, this woman can use the Fish Rules App to make sure it’s legal.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has partnered with Fish Rules App to make it easier for anglers to keep up with regulations and identify species. Additionally, a new freshwater version of the app is being created with the hope of it being out later this summer.

The Latest Info

“FWC staff and law enforcement have been using this tool for years now due to its excellence in keeping Florida anglers up to date on the latest in saltwater fishing regulations,” Jessica McCawley, FWC’s director of the Division of Marine Fisheries Management, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to be able to now support and promote this amazing app to Florida saltwater anglers and expand it to our freshwater anglers, too.”

Jon Fury, FWC’s director for the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, said the partnership with the app will strengthen the communication of regulations with anglers. “We look forward to sharing the new version of Fish Rules App with our 1.4 million anglers and encourage them to use the app whenever they are fishing one of Florida’s extraordinary waterbodies.”

The folks at Fish Rules are hoping to have a freshwater version of the app out later this year.

Local Rules

By enabling location services on Fish Rules, an angler can get the latest regulation for an area where he/she is fishing at a given moment. The app is partnering with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council that manage fisheries off Florida in federal waters.

If someone is not sure what type of fish he/she reeled in, the app can help identify a species. Take a picture and swipe left or right to see photos and tips on how to identify it. Fish Rules also encourages anglers to share photos of their catch.