If you can land a cobia this month along Florida’s coasts, you could be looking at a $50 reward.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission will pay anglers a $50 bounty on the fish to learn more about where they spawn along Florida’s coasts.
“It’s as simple as that, folks. If you caught ‘em, we want ‘em, and we’ll even throw in a $50 bounty!” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s research institute said.
What researchers want to do is study the reproductive organs of the fish.
To be eligible for the reward, the fish must be kept whole or have its filleted carcass with organs intact on ice, the FFWCC said.
You can call the following numbers to have the closest biologist meet you:
- Southeast Florida (Ft. Lauderdale-Sebastian): 561-510-5620
- Southwest Florida (Naples-St. Petersburg): 727-220-7108
- Northwest Florida (St. Petersburg-Steinhatchee): 727-685-7354
If you catch a tagged cobia, researchers ask you not to harvest it. Instead, you should take a picture of it and report the tag number, fork length, date and general location of the catch to one of the numbers above.
If you accidentally harvest a tagged cobia, report all the information and return both the internal acoustic transmitter and plastic dart tag to:
Attn: Jim Whittington Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Tequesta Field Laboratory 19100 SE Federal Hwy. Tequesta, FL 33469
