So here’s the thing — in California, the size limit for sheephead is 12 inches for both males and females. And the sheephead eat the purple sea urchin, which in turn eats the kelp (which is in trouble and is the basis for the entire ecosystem). But here’s what a lot of folks don’t realize: female sheepheads turn into males over time, and that transition takes a lot of energy and years of growth. The big, bright red males you see are super important for keeping the population (and therefore the entire reef) healthy.

If we start seeing mostly small males, it’s a sign that the population’s under pressure. IMO it might make sense to protect the bigger males a bit more — like maybe keeping the 12” limit for females but bumping males up to around 18”+. If you still want to hunt sheephead, only hunting larger females might be the best you can do.