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2022 and 2023 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

2023 Preliminary Gulf of Mexico Recreational Landings (lb) by Two-month Wave

Fishing Year January 1 - December 31

Updated 9/25/2023: 2023 recreational landings are preliminary. MRIP and Headboat landings are available from January 1 through June 30, 2023.  2023 LA Creel landings are available to August 20, 2023. No Texas 2023 landings are available at this time.  RS for-hire landings updated 9/12/23

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 - 57,489 76,463 39,960       173,912 796,536 885,040 22% 20% MRIP-FES  
Gag(a) Jan 1- May 31 0 0 205       205 1,708,000 1,903,000 0% 0% MRIP-CHTS OPEN
Gray triggerfish Jan 1- Feb 28 & Jun 1 - July 31 8 35,217 56,926 1,096     93,247 274,323 360,951 34% 26% MRIP-CHTS  
Greater Amberjack SEE TABLE BELOW
Red grouper(b) - 433,588 323,496 393,948       1,151,032 1,840,000 2,020,000 63% 57% MRIP-FES CLOSED
Red snapper For Hire Jan 1 - May 31  2,414 1,021 1,396,735 664,301     2,064,471 3,076,322 3,380,574 67% 61% MRIP-CHTS CLOSED
Red snapper Private see (c) below (c) 0   4,611,326   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. A 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.Private red snapper recreational ACL is 4,611,326. Private recreational red snapper harvest in federal waters is under state management.            

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
a. Greater amberjack and gag landings exclude Monroe County, Florida.  
b. A 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.Private red snapper recreational ACL is 4,269,000. Private recreational red snapper harvest in federal waters is under state management.  

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. 

2023-2024 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 31,297             31,297 335,320 404,000 9% 8% MRIP-FES CLOSED

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

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* 5,949 316,151 0 0 369 25 0 322,494 335,320 404,000 96% 80% MRIP-FES 10/31/2022

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

King Mackerel

2023-2024 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 -             0 6,609,600 0% MRIP-FES  

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 - 250,326 299,546 100,786 177,061 390,883 417,421 1,636,023 6,609,600 25% MRIP-FES  

Information

Last updated by Southeast Regional Office on 09/25/2023

Annual Quotas

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