What/When:
NOAA Fisheries must reduce the length of the 2025 recreational fishing season as recreational landings in 2024 exceeded the recreational catch limit. The recreational harvest of snowy grouper in federal waters of the South Atlantic will open at 12:01 am, local time on May 1, 2025, and close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 9, 2025.
Why This Reduction Is Happening:
- According to the snowy grouper recreational accountability measure, if recreational landings for snowy grouper exceed the recreational catch limit, then NOAA Fisheries must reduce the catch limit in the following fishing year by the amount necessary to prevent recreational landings from exceeding the recreational catch limit.
- The current annual catch limits were implemented on January 2, 2024, through the final rule for Amendment 51 to the Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan for the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 51).
- Amendment 51 set the snowy grouper recreational catch limit to be 1,691 fish for 2024 and 1,713 fish for 2025. The recreational fishing season was also shortened from May 1 through August 31, to May 1 through June 30.
- The preliminary 2024 South Atlantic snowy grouper recreational landings for the entire year (January 1 through December 31) were 5,778 fish which exceeds the 2024 recreational catch limit of 1,691 fish.
- Recreational landings are projected to reach the 2025 recreational catch limit by June 9, 2025.
After The Closure:
- When the recreational sector for snowy grouper is closed, the bag and possession limits for snowy grouper harvested in or from the South Atlantic federal waters are zero.
- The 2026 recreational fishing season for snowy grouper in the South Atlantic will open on May 1, 2026.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. Full regulations can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR part 622 or at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622/subpart-I/.
Sign Up for Text Message Alerts - Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures
NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery-related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time.
Text alerts you may receive include:
- Immediate fishery openings and closures
- Any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly
Sign up for one or more of the following groups:
- Gulf Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
- Text GULFRECFISH to 888777
- Gulf Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
- Text GULFCOMMFISH to 888777
- South Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
- Text SATLRECFISH to 888777
- South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
- Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777
- Caribbean Fisheries Related Alerts
- Text CARIBFISH to 888777
Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office
Permits Mailbox: The Permits Office in St. Petersburg, Florida, now has a Permits mailbox in the front lobby (263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701). You can now drop off original permits for permit transfers. Envelopes with information labels will be provided so that your documents can be attached to the correct application. The mailbox will be checked daily. For more information contact the Permits Office at 727-201-2354 or please e-mail sero.temporary.permits@noaa.gov.
Media Contact: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750
Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202
Communications Specialist: Lauren Westcott 727-249-5881
