2025, 2026, and 2026-2027 Gulf of America 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 Council's area of jurisdiction subject to annual catch limits (ACLs).
- Some species are managed under stock ACLs (one ACL for both recreational and commercial sectors). Please visit the Gulf of America Stock* ACL page for those species.
- FISHING REGS & SEASONAL CLOSURES: Gulf of America Fishing Regulations and Seasonal Closures
- FOR THE MOST CURRENT FEDERAL REGULATIONS: Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 622 - Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of America, and South Atlantic
- OTHER LANDINGS:
- HISTORICAL: Historic Recreational Landings
- RED SNAPPER RECREATIONAL: Historical Gulf Red Snapper Recreational Landings
- FOR ALL LANDINGS: Southeast Region Annual Catch Limit Monitoring
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). Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission State Reef Fish Survey (SRFS).
Units: As Reported: Cobia, King Mackerel; Gutted Weight (gw): Gag, Red grouper; Whole Weight (ww): Gray triggerfish, Red Snapper, Greater Amberjack
2025 Preliminary Gulf of America Recreational Landings (lb) by Two-month Wave
Fishing Year January 1 - December 31
Updated 3/11/2026: 2025 recreational landings are preliminary. Headboat, MRIP, LA Creel are available from January 1 through December 31, 2025. Texas data for 2025 is available through May 31, 2025. Red Snapper for-hire landings updated 3/11/2026
| 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 | - | 0 | 188,338 | 5,176 | 171,462 | 46,678 | 402 | 412,056 | 796,536 | 885,040 | 52% | 47% | MRIP-FES | |
| Gag(a) | Jan 1- August 31(d) | 0 | 0 | 5,332 | 153 | 213,417 | 3,976 | 222,879 | 230,009 | 310,009 | 97% | 72% | FES/SRFS | 9/15/2026 |
| Gray triggerfish | Jan 1- Feb 28 & Jun 1 - July 31 | 150 | 41,631 | 65,175 | 41,780 | 61,608 | 15,450 | 225,794 | 274,323 | 360,951 | 82% | 63% | MRIP-CHTS | |
| Greater Amberjack | SEE TABLE BELOW | |||||||||||||
| Red grouper(b) | - | 264,179 | 477,570 | 519,764 | 307,310 | 214,090 | 288,806 | 2,071,720 | 2,760,000 | 3,030,000 | 75% | 68% | FES/SRFS | |
| Red snapper For Hire | Jan 1 - May 31 | 0 | 0 | 807,604 | 1,028,719 | 139,955 | 54,122 | 2,030,399 | 3,076,322 | 3,380,574 | 66% | 60% | MRIP-CHTS | Sept 16 Reopen Dec 11 |
| 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. |
| d. Amendment 56 (effective June 1, 2024) updated the gag recreational season such that it opens on September 1. |
2026 Preliminary Gulf of America Recreational Landings (lb) by Two-month Wave
Fishing Year January 1 - December 31
2026 Landings Coming Soon!
| 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 | - | 0 | 796,536 | 885,040 | 0% | 0% | MRIP-FES | |||||||
| Gag(a) | Jan 1- August 31(d) | 0 | 230,009 | 310,009 | 0% | 0% | FES/SRFS | Closes Oct. 1, 2026 | ||||||
| Gray triggerfish | Jan 1- Feb 28 & Jun 1 - July 31 | 0 | 274,323 | 360,951 | 0% | 0% | MRIP-CHTS | |||||||
| Greater Amberjack | SEE TABLE BELOW | |||||||||||||
| Red grouper(b) | - | 0 | 1,840,000 | 2,020,000 | 0% | 0% | FES/SRFS | |||||||
| Red snapper For Hire | Jan 1 - May 31 | 0 | 3,076,322 | 3,380,574 | 0% | 0% | MRIP-CHTS | Closes Oct. 26, 2026 | ||||||
| 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 | |
Greater Amberjack
| As of August 1, 2024, the recreational Greater Amberjack fishing year was modified to be August 1 through July 31. As of August 1, 2024, the recreational fix-closed season is August 1 through August 31 and November 1 through July 31. Thus, the recreational season is scheduled to open each year on September 1. Gulf landings do not include Monroe County. |
2025-2026 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 | Payback ACT | Payback ACL | Payback %ACT | Payback %ACL | Dataset | Quota Closure |
| Greater Amberjack(a) | Aug 1-31 and Nov 1-Jul 31 | 25,846 | 95,095 | 0 | 120,941 | 0 | 0 | N/A | N/A | MRIP-FES | Sept. 27 |
*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.
2026-2027 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 | Dataset | Quota Closure |
| Greater Amberjack(a) | Aug 1-31 and Nov 1-Jul 31 | 0 | 335,320 | 404,000 | 0% | 0% | MRIP-FES | Oct. 14, 2026 |
*There is not a payback in the 2026/2027 fishing year because the codified ACL of 404,000 lb was not exceeded in the 2025/2026 fishing year.
King Mackerel
2025-2026 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 | Dataset | Quota Closure |
| King Mackerel | - | 394,623 | 246,917 | 249,369 | 890,909 | 6,793,200 | 13% | MRIP-FES |
2026-2027 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 | Dataset | Quota Closure |
| King Mackerel | - | 0 | 6,793,200 | 0% | MRIP-FES |
Information
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*Executive Order 14172, “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” (Jan. 20, 2025), directs that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America. On August 7, 2025, NOAA Fisheries and the National Ocean Service amended regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect the renaming. The name change did not result in any changes to, and had no effect on the applicability or enforceability of, any existing regulations. This website continues to use “Gulf of Mexico” when quoting statutes or previously published materials.