2026 Preliminary South Atlantic Commercial Landings

Preliminary landings are available through: 7/13/2026

This page was updated on: 7/13/2026

• 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 America, and South Atlantic
• For other landings:
  • 2025 Preliminary South Atlantic commercial landings
  • 2024 South Atlantic commercial landings
  • 2023 South Atlantic commercial landings
  • 2022 South Atlantic commercial landings
  • 2021 South Atlantic commercial landings
  • Historical Commercial Landings for the South Atlantic
• For All Southeast Landings: Southeast Region Annual Catch Limit Monitoring 

Preliminary Landings for 2026 Fishing Year: January 1 to December 31, 2026

Preliminary Landings for 2025 to 2026 Fishing Year: Season Varies (See Table)

*The adjusted quota for the Spanish mackerel southern zone is 2,417,330 lb. From March 1 until 75 percent of the adjusted quota for the southern zone has been reached or is projected to be reached, the trip limit is 3,500 lb. After 75 percent of the adjusted quota for the southern zone has been reached or is projected to be reached, the trip limit will be reduced to 1,500 lb. After 100 percent of the adjusted quota for the southern zone has been reached or is projected to be reached, and until the end of the fishing year or the southern zone's quota has been reached or is projected to be reached, the trip limit will be reduced to 500 lb. See 50 CFR 622.384(e) for limitations regarding Atlantic migratory group Spanish mackerel after the southern zone's quota (2,667,330 lb) is reached.

**North Carolina or Florida, in consultation with the other states in their respective zones, may request approval from the Regional Administrator (RA) to transfer part or all of their respective zone's annual commercial quota to the other zone for Atlantic Spanish mackerel. On July 22, 2025, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) requested a quota transfer of 250,000 lb from the Southern Zone to the Northern Zone. The RA approved the Atlantic Spanish mackerel quota transfer request on July 25, 2025.  On September 18, 2025, the FWC requested a second quota transfer of 75,000 lb from the Southern Zone to the Northern Zone. The RA approved the Atlantic Spanish mackerel quota transfer request on September 23, 2025. Please see 50 CFR 622.384(c)(2) for more information.

Preliminary Landings for 2026 to 2027 Fishing Year: Season Varies (See Table)

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

(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 America 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.  

(t) Amendment 55 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region revised the management of South Atlantic scamp and yellowmouth grouper, by removing yellowmouth grouper from the other South Atlantic shallow water grouper complex and establishing a new scamp and yellowmouth grouper complex. Other actions include establishing a status determination criteria, a rebuilding plan, catch levels, sector allocations, sector management measures, and accountability measures for the new complex, and establishing catch levels for the revised other South Atlantic shallow water grouper complex. Regulations became effective on 7/6/2026.  

Dealers in the Gulf of America 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

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For additional information about this page, please contact Mary Vara at (727) 824-5305 or mary.vara@noaa.gov.