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2021 and 2022 Gulf of Mexico Recreational Landings and Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) and Annual Catch Targets (ACTs)

The Southeast Fisheries Science Center has provided the following preliminary landings estimates for species in the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s area of jurisdiction subject to annual catch limits (ACLs).

Southeast

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

2022 Preliminary Gulf of Mexico Recreational Landings (lb) by Two-month Wave

Fishing Year January 1 - December 31

Updated 5/10/2023: All 2022 landings are final.

RS for-hire landings updated 2/24/2023. 

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 - 161,161 116,168 238,891 316,416 155,269 816 988,721 796,536 885,040 124% 112% MRIP-FES  
Gag(a) Jan 1- May 31 552 0 251,815 109,312 207,347 12,393 581,419 1,708,000 1,903,000 34% 31% MRIP-CHTS  
Gray triggerfish Jan 1- Feb 28 & Jun 1 - July 31 165 71,481 79,307 73,294 37,587 45,660 307,494 274,323 360,951 112% 85% MRIP-CHTS  
Greater Amberjack SEE TABLE BELOW
Red grouper(b) - 177,712 257,038 885,644 1,399,436 132 0 2,719,962 1,840,000 2,020,000 148% 135% MRIP-FES 8/30/2022
Red snapper For Hire Jan 1 - May 31  3,439 7,533 1,517,074 1,307,222 817 792 2,836,877 2,848,000 3,130,000 100% 91% MRIP-CHTS  
Red snapper Private see (c) below (c) 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

2021 Preliminary Gulf of Mexico Recreational Landings (lb) by Two-month Wave

Fishing Year January 1 - December 31

Updated 5/24/2022: MRIP, Headboat, Texas, and LA Creel landings are available from January 1 through December 31, 2021.  

RS for-hire landings updated 1/13/22. 

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 - 87,003 39,137 30,861 24,890 51,473 3,055 236,419 710,000 860,000 33% 27% MRIP-CHTS  
Gag(a) Jan 1- May 31 0 25,016 326,209 285,845 69,595 574,158 1,280,823 1,708,000 1,903,000 75% 67% MRIP-CHTS  
Gray triggerfish Jan 1- Feb 28 & Jun 1 - July 31 322 129,165 57,992 179,877 8,090 527 375,973 274,323 360,951 137% 104% MRIP-CHTS 9/15/2021 FB21-058
Greater Amberjack SEE TABLE BELOW
Red grouper(b) - 109,321 548,828 564,927 466,883 27,513 143 1,717,615 920,000 1,000,000 187% 172% MRIP-CHTS 9/15/2021 FB21-058
Red snapper For Hire Jan 1 - May 31  23,765 13,601 1,360,272 1,199,202 238,369 18,200 2,853,410 2,848,000 3,130,000 100% 91% MRIP-CHTS Reopened 10/15 - 11/6/2021 FB21-069
Red snapper Private see (c) below (c) 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. 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.

c. 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. 

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. 

2022-2023 Preliminary Greater Amberjack Recreational Landings (lb) 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) Aug 1-Aug 31 & Nov 1 - July 31* 5,949 233,517 0         239,466 1,086,985 1,309,620 22% 18% MRIP-CHTS  

2021-2022 Preliminary Greater Amberjack Recreational Landings (lb) 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 31 241,127 163,058 0 508 0 88,088 0 492,781 1,086,985 1,309,620 45% 38% MRIP-CHTS  

a. Greater amberjack and gag landings exclude Monroe County, Florida.

King Mackerel

2022-2023 Preliminary King Mackerel Recreational Landings (lb) 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 - 87,714 147,929 566       236,210 6,609,600 4% MRIP-CHTS  

2021-2022 Preliminary King Mackerel Recreational Landings (lb) 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 - 404,338 60,943 163,693 64,095 144,956 184,968 1,022,994 5,810,000 18% MRIP-CHTS  

INFORMATION

Last updated by Southeast Regional Office on 05/10/2023

Annual Quotas

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