Both eyes on one side of the flounder's flat head poke up from the fish's sandy self burials, to spy all threats from above. The wily speckled fish also can change colors to match its surroundings and further cloak from predators — all except us anglers.

As a result their inability to elude humans, flounder numbers have been, well, floundering for years in Florida, prompting state wildlife enforcers to make these flaky bottom feeders off-limits from Oct. 15 to Dec. 1.

Unlike the slippery fish itself, Florida regulators could no longer bury their heads in the sand on the flounder's dwindling numbers and on protecting the popular, tasty species. 

"Landings on the Atlantic coast have shown recent lows falling below 1,000,000 lbs in 2018," a 2019 flounder stock assessment by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, states. "The combined harvest of flounders from Florida waters has shown general declines from 2012-2018 to around 1,500,000 lbs."

So late last year, the 7-member FWC Commission decided from now on that recreational harvest season for flounder in all state and federal waters will close Oct. 15, reopening Dec. 1, to lessen the harsh fishing pressure for this mild, flaky fish.

Read: New flounder regulations in Florida

The now-yearly closure and other management measures were approved by the FWC Commission late last year, after a stock assessment by the agency suggested flounder fishery statewide "has been in a general declining trend and is likely overfished and undergoing overfishing on the Atlantic coast of Florida."

Other south Atlantic and Gulf states have also reported declines in flounder populations and have been making their own regulation changes.

Federal policy makers don't manage flounder. Most are caught in nearshore waters like inlets, estuaries and rivers.

According to FWC data, about 93% of all flounder caught are done so by recreational anglers. Commercial fishermen catch the rest.. There are primarily two species of flounder caught in Florida waters using two methods — hook and line fishing or gigging — use of a trident or spear. Gigging is mostly done at night with underwater lights. Gigging can be performed from a shallow draft boat or on foot.

Learn more about flounder regulations at MyFWC.com/Marine.