2024 Preliminary South Atlantic Commercial Landings
The Southeast Fisheries Science Center provides the following preliminary landings estimates for species in the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s area of jurisdiction subject to annual catch limits (ACLs).
Preliminary landings are available through: 1/8/2025
This page was updated on: 1/8/2025
- Seasonal Closures: South Atlantic Seasons and Closures
- Trip and Bag Limits: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
- For the Most Current Federal Regulations: Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 622 - Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic
- For other landings:
- For All Southeast Landings: Southeast Region Annual Catch Limit Monitoring
Preliminary Landings for 2024 Fishing Year: January 1 to December 31, 2024
Species Complex | Estimated Landings (lb) | ACL (lb) | Units | ACL (%) | Current Status |
| Atlantic spadefish | 11,174 | 150,552 | ww | 7.4 | CLOSED |
| Bar Jack | 3,276 | 13,228 | ww | 24.8 | CLOSED |
| Black Grouper (a) (q) | 71,185 | 96,844 | ww | 73.5 | CLOSED |
| Black Sea Bass (a) (b) | 55,558 | 276,490 | ww | 20.1 | CLOSED |
| Blueline Tilefish | 115,683 | 117,148 | ww | 98.7 | CLOSED on 8/8/2024 |
| Cobia - East Coast Florida Zone | |||||
| Deep-water complex (c) | 59,205 | 131,268 | ww | 45.1 | CLOSED |
| Dolphin | 72,319 | 1,719,953 | ww | 4.2 | CLOSED |
| Gag (a) (k) (q) | 62,544 | 62,922 | gw | 99.4 | CLOSED on 6/30/2024 |
| Golden crab | confidential landings | 2,000,000 | ww | confidential landings | CLOSED |
| Golden Tilefish (Hook-n-line) (s) | 102,003 | 108,304 | gw | 94.2 | CLOSED |
| Golden Tilefish (Longline) (s) | 327,116 | 324,912 | gw | 100.7 | CLOSED on 6/8/2024 |
| REOPENED 7/24-7/31/2024 | |||||
| Goliath grouper | - | 0 | ww | - | PROHIBITED |
| Grunts (d) | 46,880 | 217,903 | ww | 21.5 | CLOSED |
| Hogfish (Georgia through North Carolina) (l) | 17,031 | 23,456 | ww | 72.61 | CLOSED |
| Hogfish (Florida Keys/East Florida) (l) | 2,595 | 12,677 | ww | 20.5 | CLOSED |
| Jacks (e) | 139,630 | 189,422 | ww | 73.7 | CLOSED |
| Mutton snapper (a) | 52,736 | 111,354 | ww | 47.4 | CLOSED |
| Nassau grouper | - | 0 | ww | - | PROHIBITED |
| Porgies (f) | 8,949 | 36,348 | ww | 25 | CLOSED |
| Red Grouper (a) | 37,518 | 71,280 | ww | 52.6 | CLOSED |
| Red Snapper (a) | 96,074 | 85,268 | ww | 112.7 | CLOSED on 8/6/2024 |
| Scamp (a) | 48,368 | 219,375 | ww | 22.0 | CLOSED |
| Shallow water grouper(a) (g) | 12,204 | 55,542 | ww | 22.0 | CLOSED |
| Snappers (h) | 69,604 | 344,575 | ww | 20.2 | CLOSED |
| Speckled Hind | - | 0 | ww | - | PROHIBITED |
| Wahoo | 38,378 | 70,690 | ww | 54.3 | CLOSED |
| Warsaw grouper | - | 0 | ww | - | PROHIBITED |
Species Complex | Fishing Season ** | Estimated Landings (lb) | ACL (lb) | Units | ACL (%) | Current Status |
| Gray triggerfish (j) | 01/01/24– 06/30/24 | 53,435 | 156,162 | ww | 34.2 | CLOSED |
| 07/01/24 – 12/31/24 | 74,512 | 156,162 | 47.7 | CLOSED | ||
| Red Porgy (a) (j) (n) (o) | 01/01/24 – 04/30/24 | 6,104 | 12,907 | gw | 47.3 | CLOSED |
| 05/01/24 – 12/31/24 | 13,499 | 30,116 | 44.8 | CLOSED | ||
| Snowy Grouper (j) (n) | 01/01/24– 06/30/24 | 66,580 | 74,322 | gw | 89.6 | CLOSED on 6/4/2024 |
| 07/01/24 – 12/31/24 | 30,553 | 31,852 | 95.9 | CLOSED on 9/29/2024 | ||
| Vermilion snapper (j)(k)(n) | 01/01/24– 06/30/24 | 296,702 | 454,240 | ww | 65.3 | CLOSED |
| 07/01/24 – 12/31/24 | 256,197 | 454,240 | 56.4 | CLOSED |
Preliminary Landings for 2023 to 2024 Fishing Year: Season Varies (See Table)
Species Complex | Fishing Year | Estimated Landings | ACL (lb) | Units | ACL (%) | Current Status |
| Greater amberjack (a) (j) (n) (r)- Season 1 (Mar 1 -Aug 31) | 3/1/2023 – 2/28/2024 | 296,202 | 652,817 | gw | 45.4 | CLOSED |
| Greater amberjack (a) (j) (n) (r) - Season 2 (Sept 1 -end Feb) | 143,924 | 435,212 | 33.1 | CLOSED | ||
| Yellowtail snapper | 8/1/2023 - 7/31/2024 | 1,063,184 | 1,596,510 | ww | 66.6 | CLOSED |
| Wreckfish | 4/16/2023 - 1/14/2024 | confidential landings | 369,645 | ww | confidential landings | CLOSED |
Species Complex | Fishing Year | Estimated Landings (lb) (i) | Quota (lb) (i) | Quota % | ACL (lb) (i) | ACL % | Current Status |
| King Mackerel - Northern Zone (p) | 3/1/2023- 2/28/2024 | 439,763 | 2,306,207 | 19.1 | 10,009,580 | 18.0 | CLOSED |
| King Mackerel - Southern Zone -Season 1 (Mar 1- Sept) (p) | 3/1/2023- 9/30/2023 | 933,355 | 4,622,024 | 20.2 | CLOSED | ||
| King Mackerel - Southern Zone -Season 2 (Oct 1- end Feb) (p) | 10/1/2023 - 2/28/2024 | 424,179 | 3,081,349 | 13.8 | CLOSED | ||
| Spanish Mackerel - Northern Zone | 3/1/2023 - 2/28/2024 | 747,870 | 662,670 | 112.9 | 3,330,000 | 64.7 | CLOSED on 9/25/2023 |
| Spanish Mackerel - Southern Zone | 1,406,301 | 2,667,330 | 52.7 | CLOSED | |||
| 2,417,330* | 58.2 |
Preliminary Landings for 2024 to 2025 Fishing Year: Season Varies (See Table)
Species Complex | Fishing Year | Estimated Landings | ACL (lb) | Units | ACL (%) | Current Status |
| Greater amberjack (a) (j) (n) (r)- Season 1 (Mar 1 -Aug 31) | 3/1/2024 – 2/28/2025 | 292,730 | 569,019 | gw | 51.4 | CLOSED |
| Greater amberjack (a) (j) (n) (r) - Season 2 (Sept 1 -end Feb) | 118,867 | 379,346 | 31.3 | OPEN | ||
| Yellowtail snapper | 8/1/2024 - 7/31/2025 | 369,256 | 1,596,510 | ww | 23.1 | OPEN |
| Wreckfish | 4/16/2024 - 1/14/2025 | confidential landings | 369,645 | ww | confidential landings | OPEN |
Species Complex | Fishing Year | Estimated Landings (lb) (i) | Quota (lb) (i) | Quota % | ACL (lb) (i) | ACL % | Current Status |
| King Mackerel - Northern Zone (p) | 3/1/2024- 2/28/2025 | 387,439 | 2,062,594 | 18.8 | 8,952,230 | 21.4 | OPEN |
| King Mackerel - Southern Zone -Season 1 (Mar 1- Sept) (p) | 3/1/2024- 9/30/2024 | 1,237,588 | 4,133,782 | 29.9 | CLOSED | ||
| King Mackerel - Southern Zone -Season 2 (Oct 1- end Feb) (p) | 10/1/2024 - 2/28/2025 | 288,622 | 2,755,854 | 10.5 | OPEN | ||
| Spanish Mackerel - Northern Zone | 3/1/2024 - 2/28/2025 | 821,146 | 662,670 | 123.9 | 3,330,000 | 53.5 | CLOSED on 7/28/2024 |
| Spanish Mackerel - Southern Zone | 960,516 | 2,667,330 | 36.0 | OPEN | |||
| 2,417,330* | 39.7 |
NOTES
(a) There is a seasonal regulation in place; For a list of seasonal closures and harvest limitations, please visit South Atlantic Seasonal Closures and Harvest Limitations
(b) During November 1–April 30 of each year the use of black sea bass pots is prohibited in certain closed areas. Please see the regulations for more details, and maps of closed areas.
(c) Deepwater Complex: yellowedge grouper, silk snapper, misty grouper, queen snapper, sand tilefish, blackfin snapper
(d) Grunts: White grunt, margate, sailor's choice, tomtate
(e) Jacks: Almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack
(f) Porgies: Jolthead, knobbed, saucereye, whitebone, scup
(g) Shallow Water Grouper: Red hind, rock hind, coney, graysby, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper
(h) Snappers: Gray, lane, cubera
(i) Each fish is reported in the unit in which it is landed (either gutted or whole).
(j) Any remaining quota from the Season 1 quota is rolled over into the Season 2 quota.
(k) The trip limit is reduced after a percentage of the quota is reached or projected to be reached
(l) Amendment 37 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region established two populations for Hogfish in the South Atlantic: Georgia through North Carolina and Florida Keys/East Florida. The Florida Keys/East Florida population of hogfish is managed from south of Cape Sable, around the Florida Keys, to the Florida/Georgia border.
(m) Abbreviated Framework Amendment 2 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region revised the ACLs for black sea bass and vermilion snapper in response to the results of the latest stock assessments, Regulations were effective 5/9/19.
(n) Regulatory Amendment 27 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region modified commercial fishing seasons, trip limits, and minimum size limits for blueline tilefish, snowy grouper, greater amberjack, red porgy, vermilion snapper, almaco jack, Other Jacks Complex (lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and banded rudderfish), queen snapper, silk snapper, blackfin snapper, and gray triggerfish. Regulations became effective on 2/26/20.
(o) Amendment 50 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region modified management of South Atlantic red porgy, including establishing a rebuilding plan, and revising the acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits, annual optimum yield, sector allocations, accountability measures, and management measures for the commercial and recreational sectors. Regulations became effective on 1/19/2023.
(p) Amendment 34 to the Fishery Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region updated the Atlantic migratory group king mackerel acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits, recreational annual catch targets, and sector allocations based on the SEDAR 38 Update assessment (2020). Regulations became effective on 6/8/2023.
(q) Amendment 53 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region modified management of South Atlantic gag, including a rebuilding plan, and revising the acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits, annual optimum yield, sector allocations, accountability measures, and management measures for the commercial and recreational sectors. The final rule also modifies recreational management measures for black grouper. Regulations became effective on 10/23/2023.
(r) Amendment 49 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region revised the South Atlantic greater amberjack acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits, annual optimum yield, and sector allocations based on the results of the latest stock assessment. Other actions modified the commercial minimum size limit, the commercial season 1 and season 2 quotas and trip limits, and the April spawning closure for greater amberjack. The plan amendment also removed recreational annual catch targets for snapper grouper species, which are not actively being used in the management of species under the FMP. Regulations became effective on 10/26/2023.
(s) Amendment 52 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region revised the South Atlantic golden tilefish acceptable biological catch, total annual catch limit, and annual optimum yield. Other actions include revising the start date for the fishing season for the commercial longline component from January 1st to January 15th, commercial longline sector allocations and sector annual catch limits for golden tilefish, modify recreational accountability measures for golden tilefish, modify blueline tilefish recreational bag limit, and modify recreational accountability measures for blueline tilefish. Regulations became effective on 12/7/2023.
Dealers in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic are required to have a federal Gulf and South Atlantic dealer permit and submit weekly, electronic reports.
Source: Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Quota Monitoring Program, Miami, Florida.
More Information
For additional information about this page, please contact Mary Vara at (727) 824-5305 or mary.vara@noaa.gov.