Gulf of Mexico Historical Recreational Landings and Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Monitoring

This page provides the recreational landings history in the Gulf and information regarding regulations at that time. Any discrepancies between this page and regulations published in the Federal Register will be resolved in favor of the Federal Register.

Southeast

CURRENT RECREATIONAL LANDINGS: Gulf of Mexico Recreational Landings
FISHING REGS & SEASONAL CLOSURES: Gulf of Mexico Fishing Regulations and Seasonal Closures
FOR THE MOST CURRENT FEDERAL REGULATIONS: Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 622 - Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic
FOR ALL LANDINGS: Southeast Region Annual Catch Limit Monitoring.
DEFINITIONS: ACL - Annual Catch Limit ww - whole weight gw - gutted weight NA - not applicable

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

Cobia - east coast Florida

Cobia East Florida
Year	Fishing Year	Total Reported	Units	ACT	ACT %	ACL	ACL %	Closure Date	Data Source
2023	Jan 1 - Dec 31	586,126	as reported	796,536	73.6	885,040	66.2		MRIP
2022		988,721		796,536	124.1	885,040	111.7		MRIP
2021		236,419		710,000	33.3	860,000	27.5		MRIP
2020		302,235		710,000	42.6	860,000	35.1		MRIP
2019		190,981		710,000	26.9	860,000	22.2		MRIP
2018		564,857		710,000	79.6	860,000	65.7		MRIP
2017		297,007		710,000	41.8	860,000	34.5		MRIP
2016		447,026		710,000	63.0	860,000	52.0		MRIP
2015		425,266		680,000	62.5	830,000	51.2		MRIP
*The Florida East Coast Zone (east coast of Florida and Atlantic side of the Florida Keys) is part of the Gulf stock and is managed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

Gag Grouper

Gag
Year	Fishing Year	Seasonal Closure	Total Reported*	Units	ACT	ACT %	ACL	ACL %	Closure Date	Data Source
2023	Jan 1- Dec 31	Jan 1 - May 31	381,972	gw			211,588	181	10/19/2023	MRIP
2022			581,419		1,708,000	34.0	1,903,000	30.6		MRIP
2021			1,280,823		1,708,000	75.0	1,903,000	67.3		MRIP
2020			909,703		1,708,000	53.3	1,903,000	47.8		MRIP
2019			859,828		1,708,000	50.3	1,903,000	45.2		MRIP
2018			1,008,468		1,708,000	59.0	1,903,000	53.0		MRIP
2017			832,960		1,708,000	48.8	1,903,000	43.8		MRIP
2016			796,430		1,708,000	46.6	1,903,000	41.9		MRIP
2015		Jan 1 - June 30	823,940		1,708,000	48.2	1,903,000	43.3	12/3/15	MRFSS
2014			862,101		1,519,000	56.8	1,720,000	50.1	12/3/14	MRFSS
2013			1,435,421		1,287,000	111.5	1,495,000	96.0	12/3/13	MRFSS
2012		Jan 1 - June 30 & Nov 1 - Dec 31	938,547		1,031,000	91.0	1,232,000	76.2		MRFSS
2011		Jan 1 - Sep 15 & Nov 16 -Dec 31	660,287		780,000	84.7	964,000	68.5		MRFSS
2010		Feb 1 - March 31	1,664,257		2,140,000	77.8	2,640,000	63.0		MRFSS
*Gag landings exclude Monroe County, Florida.

Gray Triggerfish

Gray Triggerfish
Year	Fishing Year	Seasonal Closure	Total Reported	Units	ACT	Payback ACT	ACT %	ACL	Payback ACL	ACL %	Closure Date	Data Source
2023	Jan 1- Dec 31	Jan 1 - end of Feb and Jun 1 - Jul 31	306,196	ww	274,323		111.6	360,951		84.8		MRIP
2022			307,494		274,323		112.1	360,951		85.2		MRIP
2021			375,973		274,323		137.1	360,951		104.2	9/15/21	MRIP
2020			390,712		217,100		180.0	241,200		162.0	5/2/20	MRFSS
2019			310,868		217,100		143.2	241,200		128.9	5/11/19	MRFSS
2018			461,900		217,100		212.8	241,200		191.5	8/18/18	MRFSS
2017		June 1- July 31	62,731		217,100	0	0.0	241,200	19,987	26.0	1/1/17	MRFSS
2016			432,641		217,100	177,123	199.3	241,200	201,223	179.4	6/1/16	MRFSS
2015			94,174		217,100	30,107	43.4	241,200	54,207	39.0	2/7/15	MRFSS
2014			217,891		217,100	1,658	100.4	241,200	25,758	90.3	5/1/14	MRFSS
2013			453,251		217,100		NA	241,200		187.9	10/15/13	MRFSS
2012			277,720		217,100			241,200		115.1	6/11/12	MRFSS
2011			461,549		405,000			457,000		101.0		MRFSS
2010			296,360		405,000			457,000		64.8		MRFSS
Due to the timing of when payback notices were published and total reported landings updates were received, total prior year overages and Federal Register noticed payback-adjusted ACTs and ACLs may not match. %ACT and %ACL are based on nonpayback numbers as that is how an overage and subsequent payback is determined if needed. However, in years of a payback, landings are constrained to the payback ACT and are not to exceed the payback ACL.

Greater Amberjack

Greater Amberjack
Year	Fishing Year	Seasonal Closure	Total Reported*	Units	ACT	Payback ACT	ACT %	ACL	Payback ACL	ACL %	Closure Date	Data Source
2023/2024	July 1 - June 30	Nov 1 - Apr 30 and Jun 1 - Jul 31	793,241	ww	335,320		236.6	404,000		196.3		MRIP-FES
2022/2023			323,403		335,320		96.4	404,000		80.1	10/31/2022	MRIP-FES
2021/2022			490,421		1,086,985		45.1	1,309,620		37.4		MRIP
2020/2021			936,630		1,086,985		86.2	1,309,620		71.5		MRIP
2019/2020			627,639		1,086,985		57.7	1,309,620		47.9		MRIP
2018/2019			945,906		902,185		104.8	1,086,970		87.0	5/1/19	MRIP
2017*/2018			622,011		716,173		86.9	862,860		72.1		MRIP
2017	Jan 1 - Dec 31	Jun 1 - Jul 31	794,202		1,092,372	335,741	72.7	1,255,600	498,969	63.3	3/24/17	MRIP
2016			1,962,559		1,092,372	1,034,442	179.7	1,255,600	1,197,670	156.3	6/1/16	MRIP
2015			1,352,930		1,130,000		119.7	1,299,000		104.2	9/28/15	MRFSS
2014			912,254		1,130,000	888,829	80.7	1,299,000	1,057,829	70.2	8/24/14	MRFSS
2013			1,534,462		1,130,000		135.8	1,299,000		118.1		MRFSS
2012			1,322,788		1,130,000		117.1	1,299,000		101.8		MRFSS
2011			1,032,063		NA		NA	1,368,000	1,315,224	75.4		MRFSS
2010		None	1,316,291		NA		NA	1,368,000	1,243,184	96.2		MRFSS
Greater amberjack landings exclude Monroe County, Florida.
*The rule implementing the January through June closure went into effect on January 27, 2018. The rule that modified the seasonal closure to be November through April and June through July, as well as establisheding the August 1 - July 31 fishing year, went into effective on April 30, 2018. Due to when these rules went into effect, only landings from January 1, 2018 through July 31, 2018 are attributed to the 2017-2018 fishing year.
Due to the timing of when payback notices were published and total reported landings updates were received, total prior year overages and Federal Register noticed payback-adjusted ACTs and ACLs may not match. %ACT and %ACL are based on nonpayback numbers as that is how an overage and subsequent payback is determined if needed. However, in years of a payback, landings are constrained to the payback ACT and are not to exceed the payback ACL.

King Mackerel

King Mackerel
Year	Fishing Year	Total Reported	Units	ACL	ACL %	Closure Date	Data Source
2023/2024	Jul 1 - Jun 30	1,688,196	as reported	6,609,600	25.5		MRIP-FES
2022/2023		1,368,074		6,609,600	20.7		MRIP-FES
2021/2022		1,022,994		5,810,000	17.6		MRIP
2020/2021		1,729,718		5,810,000	29.8		MRIP
2019/2020		1,622,334		5,810,000	27.9		MRIP
2018/2019		2,279,432		5,920,000	38.5		MRIP
2017/2018		2,344,872		6,040,000	38.8		MRIP
2016/2017		2,778,688		6,260,000	44.4		MRIP
2015/2016		2,353,611		7,344,000	32.0		MRFSS
2014/2015		4,615,150		7,344,000	62.8		MRFSS
2013/2014		2,807,447		7,344,000	38.2		MRFSS
2012/2013		4,102,846		8,092,000	50.7		MRFSS
2011/2012		2,806,173		8,092,000	34.7		MRFSS
CMP Am 18 set the fishing year to July 1-June 30 only for purposes of tracking the ACL. The actual fishing year is January 1 - December 31.

Red Grouper

Red Grouper
Year	Fishing Year	Total Reported	Units	ACT	ACT %	ACL	ACL %	Closure Date	Data Source
2023	Jan 1 - Dec 31*	2,525,327	gw	1,840,000	137.2	2,020,000	125.0	7/21/23	MRIP-FES
2022		2,719,962		1,840,000	147.8	2,020,000	134.7	8/30/22	MRIP-FES
2021		1,717,615		920,000	186.7	1,000,000	171.8	9/15/21	MRIP
2020		775,929		920,000	84.3	1,000,000	77.6		MRIP
2019		764,985		920,000	83.2	1,000,000	76.5		MRIP
2018		872,045		2,370,001	36.8	2,580,001	33.8		MRIP
2017		807,085		2,370,000	34.1	2,580,000	31.3		MRIP
2016		1,403,236		2,370,000	59.2	2,580,000	54.4		MRIP
2015		1,847,573		1,800,000	102.6	1,900,000	97.2	10/8/15	MRFSS
2014		1,600,475		1,780,000	89.9	1,900,000	84.2	10/4/14	MRFSS
2013		2,377,111		1,740,000	136.6	1,900,000	125.1		MRFSS
2012		1,752,930		1,700,000	103.1	1,900,000	92.3		MRFSS
2011		643,745		1,650,000	39.0	1,850,000	34.8		MRFSS
2010		635,680		1,820,000	34.9	1,850,000	34.4		MRFSS
*There is a shallow-water grouper seasonal closure beyond the 20-fathoms break from February 1-March 31

Red Snapper

Red Snapper
Year	Fishing Year	Seasonal Closure	Component	Total Reported	Units	ACT	Payback ACT	ACT %	ACL	Payback ACL	ACL %	Closure Date	Data Source
2023	Jan 1 - Dec 31	Jan 1 - May 31	Private Angler	2018-2023 Landings by State	ww	3,689,061		**	4,611,326
2023			For-Hire	2,981,285		3,076,322		96.9	3,380,547		88.2	8/25/2023	MRIP
2022			Private Angler	2018-2023 Landings by State		**		**	4,269,000
2022			For-Hire	2,836,877		2,848,000		99.6	3,130,000		90.6	8/19/2022	MRIP
2021*			Private Angler	2018-2021 Landings by State		**		**	4,269,000
2021*			For-Hire	2,853,410		2,848,000		100.2	3,130,000		91.2	8/3/2021	MRIP
2020**			Private Angler	2018-2021 Landings by State		**		**	4,269,000
2020**			For-Hire	2,408,134		2,848,000		84.6	3,130,000		76.9	8/2/2020	MRIP
2019***			Private Angler	2018-2021 Landings by State		***		***	4,269,000
2019***			For-Hire	2,558,734		2,848,300		89.8	3,130,000		81.7	8/2/2019	MRIP
2018***			Private Angler	2018-2021 Landings by State		***		***	3,885,000
2018***			For-Hire	2,486,702		2,278,000		109.2	2,848,000		87.3	7/22/2018	MRIP
2017****			Private Angler	6,590,221		3,108,000	3,004,075	212.0	3,885,000	3,755,094	169.6	6/4/17	MRIP
2017****			For-Hire	2,272,549		2,278,000		99.8	2,848,000		79.8	7/20/17	MRIP
2016			Private Angler	5,293,635		3,320,000		159.4	4,150,000		127.6	6/12/16	MRIP
2016			For-Hire	2,142,815		2,434,000		88.0	3,042,000		70.4	7/17/16	MRIP
2015			Private Angler	3,806,474		3,234,000		117.7	4,043,000		94.1	6/11/15	MRIP
2015			For-Hire	2,153,677		2,371,000		90.8	2,964,000		72.7	7/15/15	MRIP
2014			Recreational	3,835,365		4,312,000		88.9	5,390,000		71.2	6/10/14	MRIP (2/28/18)
2013				9,702,901		NA		NA	5,390,000		180.0	6/29/2013 reopened 10/1/2013 closed 10/15/2013	MRIP (2/28/18)
2012				5,802,491					3,959,000		146.6	7/17/12	MRFSS (2/28/18)
2011				4,602,553					3,866,000		119.1	7/19/11
2010*****				2,238,908					3,403,000		65.8	7/24/10
*Red snapper was reopened from 12:01 a.m. October 15 through 12:01 a.m. November 6, 2021.
**Beginning in 2020, Gulf states permanently took over management of private landings as defined in Reef Fish Amendment 50 A-F.
***States managed 2018 and 2019 private landings under an EFP. Totals and ACL are cumulative for states.
****Private angler red snapper was reopened on weekends (Fri-Sun), between 12:01 a.m. June 16 through 12:01 a.m. September 4, 2017. Was also open July 3 and 4, 2017.
*****Red snapper was reopened on weekends (Fri-Sun), between 12:01 a.m. October 1 through 12:01 a.m. November 22, 2010.

Last updated by Southeast Regional Office on 04/24/2025

Charter/headboat Annual Quotas Landings