Grouper Regulations:
 |
| Photo by Kyle Miller |
Grouper are managed differently in the Gulf versus the
Atlantic. Click on the links below for information about grouper regulations in Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico state waters.
New Rules
Gulf: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission set the 2013 gag grouper recreational season in Gulf of Mexico state waters at the February 2013 meeting. Learn more about the 2013 season.
Grouper-Federal Recreational Regulations Chart
Federal Waters Update:Pending approval from the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, the February through March closed season for shallow-water groupers (red, black, yellowfin, scamp, and yellowmouth) shoreward of 20 fathoms has been eliminated. If approved by the Secretary, the FWC Commission will consider consistency in Gulf state waters by eliminating the February through March state waters grouper closure at a future Commission meeting.
For regulations in state waters:
Gulf
Atlantic
| Groupers |
Federal Waters
Gulf of Mexico
|
Federal Waters
Atlantic
|
|---|
| Grouper Aggregate |
4 per person (state waters included) |
3 per person (state waters and Monroe County included) |
|
Goliath/Nassau
|
Harvest prohibited (state waters included)
|
|
Gag
|
22" TL
2 per person within 4 grouper aggregate
Open July 1-Oct 31, 2012
Pending approval from the Secretary of Commerce, the season would open July 1 and close when the annual catch target is projected to be caught. A 2013 closure date will be announced closer to the start of the season.
|
24 " TL
1 gag or black grouper combined per person
Closed Jan-Apr
|
|
Black
|
22" TL
within 4 grouper aggregate
Closed Feb. 1-March 31
Changes pending to remove Feb. 1-Mar. 31 closure shoreward of 20 fathoms in 2014
"The Edges" closed Jan. 1 - April 30
|
24" TL
1 gag or black grouper combined per person
Closed Jan-Apr
|
|
Red
|
20" TL
4 per person within 4 grouper aggregate
Closed Feb 1 - Mar 31
Changes pending to remove Feb 1 - Mar. 31 closure shoreward of 20 fathoms in 2014
"The Edges" closed Jan 1 - Apr 30
|
20" TL
within 3 grouper aggregate
Closed Jan.- April
|
|
Scamp
|
16" TL
within 4 grouper aggregate
Closed Feb 1 - Mar 31
Changes pending to remove Feb 1 - Mar. 31 closure shoreward of 20 fathoms in 2014
"The Edges" closed Jan 1 - Apr 30
|
|
Yellowfin
|
20" TL
within 4 grouper aggregate
Closed Feb 1 - Mar 31
Changes pending to remove Feb 1 - Mar. 31 closure shoreward of 20 fathoms in 2014
"The Edges" closed Jan 1 - Apr 30
|
|
Yellowmouth
|
within 4 grouper aggregate
Closed Feb 1 - Mar 31
Changes pending to remove Feb 1 - Mar. 31 closure
|
|
Rock Hind/Red Hind
|
|
within 3 grouper aggregate
Closed Jan-Apr
|
|
Coney/Graysby/Tiger
|
within 3 grouper aggregate
Closed Jan-Apr
Tiger not managed
|
|
Yellowedge/Misty
|
within 4 grouper aggregate (Misty not in aggregate) |
within 3 grouper aggregate |
|
Warsaw/Speckled Hind
|
1 of each per vessel within 4 grouper aggregate
|
Harvest Prohibited |
|
Snowy
|
within 4 grouper aggregate |
1 per vessel within 3 grouper aggregate |
| Other species | State waters |
Federal Waters
Gulf of Mexico
|
Federal Waters
Atlantic
|
|---|
| Golden Tilefish |
within grouper aggregate; 1 per person Atlantic |
|
1 per person within 3 grouper aggregate
***Closed until Jan 1 2013***
|
| Blueline Tilefish |
100 pounds or 2 whole fish (whichever is less) |
within 20 per person reef fish aggregate |
within 3 grouper aggregate |
| Sand Tilefish |
|
| Black Sea Bass |
10" TL and 100 pounds/person/day in the Gulf; 12" TL and 15 fish/person/day in the Atlantic
***Effective soon*** Atlantic: 13" TL with 5 per person bag limit; Gulf: 10" TL
|
10" TL (state rules apply) |
13" TL
5 per person
***Closed through May 31, 2013***
|
| Reef fish as bait |
all fish must be landed in whole condition; legal-sized whole fish may be used as bait but counted against bag limit |
Use prohibited |
must have heads and fins intact through landing |
Additional Grouper Resources
Learn more about grouper biology by clicking on the individual species pages below.
Links for More Information
Persons with Disabilities