The Commission is considering changes to state regulations that would add September 1 – December 31 to the recreational harvest season for gag grouper all waters of Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson, and Taylor counties, including Indian Pass, Apalachicola Bay, and the Steinhatchee River (Big Bend region). Currently, the recreational harvest season is April 1 through June 30 each year in the Big Bend region. The recreational harvest season in Gulf federal waters and all other state waters of the Gulf of Mexico (excluding Monroe County) is from June 1 through December 31. The purpose of this rule is to accommodate the economic and social needs of recreational harvesters in the Big Bend region of Florida, and to make the recreational harvest season length for this area comparable to the harvest season length elsewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. The effect of these rule amendments is to balance the economic and social needs of the Big Bend region with the conservation needs of gag grouper in the Gulf of Mexico. The addition of a September 1 through December 31 season for the Big Bend region will provide fishing opportunities for recreational anglers when gag grouper are closer to shore and can be safely accessed by smaller boats. It will also make the Big Bend season the same number of months as the season elsewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. This season change is not expected to cause a federal quota overrun or impact the Gulf grouper stock if current harvest trends continue.