Leadership Message
2019 and 2020 Gulf of Mexico Recreational Landings and Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) and Annual Catch Targets (ACTs)
MRIP, LA Creel, and Headboat are for wave 1 (January through February) of 2020. Texas landings for 2020 are COMING SOON. 2019 data should be considered preliminary at this time.
- Please note that some species are managed under stock ACLs (one ACL for both recreational and commercial sectors). Please visit the Gulf of Mexico Stock ACL page for those species.
- FISHING REGS & SEASONAL CLOSURES: For a list of fishing regs, by species, please visit the Gulf of Mexico Fishing Regulations and Seasonal Closures
- FEDERAL REGULATIONS: For the most current federal regulations, please visit Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 622 - Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic
- OTHER LANDINGS:
- HISTORICAL: Historic Recreational Landings in the Gulf of Mexico
- OTHER LANDINGS: See the Southeast Region Annual Catch Limit Monitoring page for other fish landings information.
- FISHERY BULLETINS: Sign up to stay up-to-date with fishery announcements
- For more information on fishery management please visit the Gulf of Mexico Branch Homepage
2020 Preliminary Gulf of Mexico Recreational Landings (lb) by Two-month Wave
Fishing Year January 1 - December 31
Updated 5/25/2020
| Species Complex | Fixed Closed Months | Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | Jul-Aug | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec | Total Reported Landings | ACT | ACL | %ACT | %ACL | Dataset | Quota Closure |
| Cobia east Florida | - | 1,625 | 1,625 | 710,000 | 860,000 | 0% | 0% | MRIP-CHTS | ||||||
| Gag(a) | Jan 1- May 31 | 0 | 0 | 1,708,000 | 1,903,000 | 0% | 0% | MRIP-CHTS | ||||||
| Gray triggerfish(b) | Jan 1- Feb 28 & Jun 1 - July 31 | 66 | 66 | 217,100 | 241,200 | 0% | 0% | MRIP-CHTS | 5/2/2020 FB20-010 | |||||
| Greater Amberjack | SEE TABLE BELOW | |||||||||||||
| Red grouper(c) | - | 2,255 | 2,255 | 920,000 | 1,000,000 | 0% | 0% | MRIP-CHTS | ||||||
| Red snapper For Hire | Jan 1 - May 31 (d) | 0 | 0 | 2,504,000 | 3,130,000 | 0% | 0% | MRIP-CHTS | ||||||
| Red snapper Private | see (d) below | (d) | 0 | 3,415,200 | 4,269,000 | 0% | 0% | MRIP-CHTS | ||||||
| Goliath Grouper | Closed to Harvest | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | 0 | 0 | x | x | MRFSS | n/a |
| Nassau Grouper | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | 0 | 0 | x | x | MRFSS | n/a | |
a. Greater amberjack and gag landings exclude Monroe County, Florida.
b. Gray triggerfish opened March 1, 2020. It closed on May 2, 2020. NOAA Fisheries published a Fishery Bulletin announcing the closure date.
c. This closure occurs Feb 1 - Mar 31 for all shallow water grouper (red grouper, black grouper, yellowmouth grouper, scamp, and yellowfin grouper) in the portion of the Gulf EEZ seaward of coordinates defined in the Federal regulations at paragraph (d) of § 622.34, Seasonal and area closures designed to protect Gulf reef fish. These coordinates approximate the 20-fathom depth contour.
d. Reef Fish Amendment 50, effective February 6, 2020, gives limited authority to each individual Gulf state to manage red snapper recreational private angling in state and federal waters off each state. Each state will set the fishing season, specify a bag limit, and specify a minimum size limit (between 14 and 18 in TL). Each state has the option to establish a maximum size limit. Florida, Alabama, and Texas may request closures of areas of federal waters adjacent to state waters. The red snapper private angling quota is allocated among the Gulf states.
2019 Preliminary Gulf of Mexico Recreational Landings (lb) by Two-month Wave
Fishing Year January 1 - December 31
Updated 5/20/2020
| Species Complex | Fixed Closed Months | Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | Jul-Aug | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec | Total Reported Landings | ACT | ACL | %ACT | %ACL | Dataset | Quota Closure |
| Cobia east Florida | - | 29,706 | 12,986 | 21,393 | 116,757 | 667 | 9,472 | 190,981 | 710,000 | 860,000 | 27% | 22% | MRIP-CHTS | |
| Gaga | Jan 1- May 31 | 55 | 30 | 326,665 | 143,993 | 30,709 | 358,376 | 859,828 | 1,708,000 | 1,903,000 | 50% | 45% | MRIP-CHTS | |
| Gray triggerfish(b) | Jan 1- Feb 28 & Jun 1 - July 31 | 10 | 274,952 | 30,449 | 276 | 4,019 | 1,162 | 310,868 | 217,100 | 241,200 | 143% | 129% | MRIP-CHTS | 5/11/19 FB19-016 |
| Greater Amberjack | SEE TABLE BELOW | |||||||||||||
| Red grouper(c) | - | 121,853 | 160,964 | 216,916 | 157,450 | 25,006 | 82,796 | 764,985 | 920,000 | 1,000,000 | 83% | 76% | MRIP-CHTS | |
| Red snapper For Hire | Jan 1 - May 31 (d) | 29,719 | 18,341 | 1,203,745 | 1,324,575 | 0 | 1,024 | 2,577,404 | 2,848,300 | 3,130,000 | 90% | 82% | (e) | |
| Red snapper Private | see (d) below | See Exempted Fishing Permit | 0 | 3,415,200 | 4,269,000 | 0% | 0% | MRIP-CHTS | ||||||
| Goliath Grouper | Closed to Harvest | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | 0 | 0 | x | x | MRFSS | n/a |
| Nassau Grouper | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | 0 | 0 | x | x | MRFSS | n/a | |
a. Greater amberjack and gag landings exclude Monroe County, Florida.
b. Gray triggerfish and greater amberjack opened January 1, 2018. Gray triggerfish closed 12:01 a.m. January 16, 2018, and reopened March 1, 2018. Greater amberjack closed 12:01 a.m. January 27, 2018, NOAA Fisheries published a Fishery Bulletin announcing the opening dates.
c.This closure occurs Feb 1 - Mar 31 for all shallow water grouper (red grouper, black grouper, yellowmouth grouper, scamp, and yellowfin grouper) in the portion of the Gulf EEZ seaward of coordinates defined in the Federal regulations at paragraph (d) of § 622.34, Seasonal and area closures designed to protect Gulf reef fish. These coordinates approximate the 20-fathom depth contour.
d. Total red snapper recreational ACL was 6,733,000. Please see fishery bulletin FB18-026. The recreational red snapper fishery was under state management through exempted fishing permits in 2018 and 2019. For landings click here.
e. MRIP, LA Creel, and Headboat landings are available from January 1 through December 31, 2019. Texas landings are available through November 20, 2019.
Greater Amberjack
As of April 30, 2018 the recreational Greater Amberjack fishing year was modified to be August 1 through July 31 and the fixed closed season was modified to be November 1 through April 30 and June 1 through July 31. As such, the 2018 quota is distributed across the 2017-2018 fishing year, the 2019 quota is distributed across the 2018-2019 fishing year, and the 2020 and beyond quota will be distributed for each subsequent fishing year, which now begins on August 1. January landings occurred due the original January to June fixed closed season not being effective until January 27, 2018. Therefore, greater amberjack opened on January 1, 2018 and closed at 12:01 a.m. on January 27, 2018. Greater amberjack reopened May 1, 2018 with the effective date of the new fixed closed season. Due to these changes, the 2017-2018 fishing year includes landings from January and May only.
2019-2020 Preliminary Greater Amberjack Recreational Landings (lbs) by Two-month Wave Fishing Year Aug 1 - July 31
| Species Complex | Fixed Closed Season | August | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec | Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | July | Total Reported | ACT | ACL | %ACT | %ACL | Datset | Quota Closure |
| Greater Amberjack(a) | Nov 1 - Apr 30 & Jun 1 - July 31 | 243,723 | 195,358 | 0 | 439,081 | 1,086,985 | 1,309,620 | 40% | 34% | MRIP-CHTS |
2018-2019 Preliminary Greater Amberjack Recreational Landings (lbs) by Two-month Wave Fishing Year Aug 1 - July 31
| Species Complex | Fixed Closed Season | August | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec | Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | July | Total Reported | ACT | ACL | %ACT | %ACL | Quota Closure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Amberjack(a) | Nov 1 - Apr 30 & Jun 1 - July 31 | 361,662 | 567,063 | 522 | 0 | 187 | 12,645 | 4,563 | 946,642 | 902,185 | 1,086,970 | 105% | 87% | 5/1/2019 FB19-016 |
a. Greater amberjack landings exclude Monroe County, Florida.
King Mackerel
2019-2020 Preliminary King Mackerel Recreational Landings (lbs) by Two-month Wave Fishing Year July 1 - June 30
| Species Complex | Fixed Closed Season | Jul-Aug | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec | Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | Total Reported | Annual Catch Limit | %ACL | Datset | Quota Closure |
| King Mackerel | - | 290,621 | 362,963 | 108,673 | 762,257 | 5,810,000 | 13% | MRIP-CHTS |
2018-2019 Preliminary King Mackerel Recreational Landings (lbs) by Two-month Wave Fishing Year July 1 - June 30
| Species Complex | Fixed Closed Season | Jul-Aug | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec | Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | Total Reported | Annual Catch Limit | %ACL | Quota Closure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Mackerel | - | 805,817 | 211,810 | 188,784 | 79,267 | 550,130 | 411,838 | 2,247,646 | 6,040,000 | 37% |
Definitions: Annual Catch Limit (ACL) is the amount of fish that can be harvested from the stock each year. The Annual Catch Target (ACT) is a harvest level set lower than the annual catch limit to create a buffer to reduce the risk of overharvest. Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP).
Units:As Reported: Cobia, King Mackerel; Gutted Weight (gw): Gag, Red grouper; Whole Weight (ww): Gray triggerfish, Red Snapper, Greater Amberjack
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