DMR approves record, sets closures

Two commercial seasons and one sport season end this weekend

Mississippi’s Department of Marine Resources certified a new state salt water fishing record and announced three upcoming season closures at the agency’s October commission meeting.

Using conventional tackle, Harold Charlton, III of Ocean Springs broke the state record for the Spotfin hogfish (Bodianus pulchellus) with a fish that weighed 15.2 ounces. The previous record set in October of 2013 was 12.64 ounces.

In other business, DMR announced the closures of two commercial fishing seasons and one recreational fishing season in Mississippi’s territorial waters:

* The commercial fishing season for speckled trout (a.k.a. spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus) will close at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2015. The commercial fishing season will reopen on Feb. 1, 2016 at 12:01 a.m.

*The commercial fishing season for redfish (a.k.a. red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus) will close at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 30, 2015. The commercial fishing season will reopen Jan. 1, 2016 at 12:01 a.m.

* The recreational fishing season for red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) will close on Oct. 31, 2015 at 11:59 p.m.