An oceanic whitetip shark swims near the surface of the water. Photo courtesy of John Carlson.
2021 South Atlantic Commercial Landings
The Southeast Fisheries Science Center provides the following landings estimates for species in the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s area of jurisdiction subject to annual catch limits (ACLs).
Landings are available through: 12/31/2021
This page was updated on: 1/4/2022
- 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 Mexico, and South Atlantic
- For historical landings:
- For All Southeast Landings: Southeast Region Annual Catch Limit Monitoring
Landings for 2021 Fishing Year: January 1 to December 31, 2021
| Species Complex | Estimated Landings (lb) | ACL (lb) | Units | ACL (%) | Current Status |
| Atlantic spadefish | 29,879 | 150,552 | ww | 19.8 | CLOSED |
| Bar Jack | 1,406 | 13,228 | ww | 10.6 | CLOSED |
| Black Grouper (a) | 59,333 | 96,844 | ww | 61.3 | CLOSED |
| Black Sea Bass (a) (b) | 71,535 | 276,490 | ww | 25.9 | CLOSED |
| Blueline Tilefish | 119,781 | 117,148 | ww | 102.2 | CLOSED on 8/1/2021 |
| Cobia - East Coast Florida Zone | Gulf of Mexico Commercial Landings and Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) page | ||||
| Deep-water complex (c) | 67,730 | 131,268 | ww | 51.6 | CLOSED |
| Dolphin | 294,342 | 1,534,485 | ww | 19.2 | CLOSED |
| Gag (a) (k) | 191,392 | 347,301 | gw | 55.1 | CLOSED |
| Golden crab | 159,802 | 2,000,000 | ww | 8.0 | CLOSED |
| Golden tilefish (Hook-n-Line) | 82,279 | 82,935 | gw | 99.2 | CLOSED on 6/1/2021 |
| Golden tilefish (Longline) | 242,051 | 248,805 | gw | 97.3 | CLOSED on 2/10/2021 |
| REOPENED 3/20/2021 -3/30/2021 | |||||
| Goliath grouper | - | 0 | ww | - | PROHIBITED |
| Grunts (d) | 59,619 | 217,903 | ww | 27.4 | CLOSED |
| Hogfish (Georgia through North Carolina) (l) | 23,595 | 23,456 | ww | 100.6 | CLOSED on 11/10/2021 |
| Hogfish (Florida Keys/East Florida) (l) | 3,377 | 8,277 | ww | 40.8 | CLOSED |
| Jacks (e) | 140,579 | 189,422 | ww | 74.2 | CLOSED |
| Mutton snapper (a) | 62,156 | 111,354 | ww | 55.8 | CLOSED |
| Nassau grouper | - | 0 | ww | - | PROHIBITED |
| Porgies (f) | 14,503 | 36,348 | ww | 39.9 | CLOSED |
| Red Grouper (a) | 24,248 | 71,280 | ww | 34.0 | GA & FL: CLOSED; NC & SC: CLOSED |
| Red Snapper (a) | 127,479 | 124,815 | ww | 102.1 | CLOSED on 9/14/2021 |
| Reopened on 11/2-11/5/21 | |||||
| Scamp (a) | 54,922 | 219,375 | ww | 25.0 | CLOSED |
| Shallow water grouper(a) (g) | 18,038 | 55,542 | ww | 32.5 | CLOSED |
| Snappers (h) | 72,422 | 344,575 | ww | 21.0 | CLOSED |
| Speckled Hind | 0 | ww | - | PROHIBITED | |
| Wahoo | 28,877 | 70,542 | ww | 40.9 | CLOSED |
| Warsaw grouper | - | 0 | ww | - | PROHIBITED |
Note: Amendment 31 removed Atlantic cobia (from Georgia through New York) from the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery Management Plan. Atlantic cobia is now managed under the purview of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission because the majority of Atlantic cobia landings are in state waters.
| Species Complex | Fishing Season ** | Estimated Landings (lb) | ACL (lb) | Units | ACL (%) | Current Status |
| Gray triggerfish (j) | 01/01/21– 06/30/21 | 83,664 | 156,162 | ww | 53.6 | CLOSED |
| 07/01/21 – 12/31/21 | 121,522 | 156,162 | 77.8 | CLOSED | ||
| Red Porgy (a) (n) | 01/01/21 – 04/30/21 | 21,139 | 49,200 | ww | 43.0 | CLOSED |
| 05/01/21 – 12/31/21 | 54,250 | 114,800 | 47.3 | CLOSED | ||
| Snowy Grouper (n) | 01/01/21 – 06/30/21 | 91,305 | 107,754 | gw | 84.7 | CLOSED |
| 07/01/21 – 12/31/21 | 43,566 | 46,181 | 94.3 | CLOSED | ||
| Vermilion snapper (j)(k)(n) | 01/01/21 – 06/30/21 | 270,724 | 478,720 | ww | 56.6 | CLOSED |
| 07/01/21 – 12/31/21 | 388,682 | 478,720 | 81.2 | CLOSED |
Landings for 2020 to 2021 Fishing Year: Season Varies (See Table)
| Species Complex | Fishing Year | Estimated Landings | ACL (lb) | Units | ACL (%) | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater amberjack (a) (n) - Season 1 (Mar 1 -Aug 31) | 3/1/2020 – 2/28/2021 | 251,635 | 461,633 | gw | 54.5 | CLOSED |
| Greater amberjack (a) (n) - Season 2 (Sept 1 -end Feb) | 201,100 | 307,755 | 65.3 | CLOSED | ||
| Yellowtail snapper | 8/1/2020 - 7/31/2021 | 1,141,206 | 1,596,510 | ww | 71.5 | CLOSED |
| Wreckfish | 4/16/2020 - 1/14/2021 | confidential landings | 376,960 | ww | confidential landings | CLOSED |
| Species Complex | Fishing Year | Estimated Landings (lb) (i) | Quota (lb) (i) | Quota % | ACL (lb) (i) | ACL % | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Mackerel - Northern Zone | 3/1/2020- 2/28/2021 | 553,481 | 1,082,880 | 51.1 | 4,700,000 | 57.9 | CLOSED |
| King Mackerel - Southern Zone - Season 1 (Mar 1 -Sept 30) | 3/1/2020- 9/30/2020 | 1,388,319 | 2,170,272 | 64.0 | CLOSED | ||
| King Mackerel - Southern Zone - Season 2 (Oct 1 -end Feb) | 10/1/2020 - 2/28/2021 | 779,331 | 1,446,848 | 53.9 | CLOSED | ||
| Spanish Mackerel - Northern Zone | 3/1/2020 - 2/28/2021 | 899,054 | 662,670 | 135.7 | 3,330,000 | 121.5 | CLOSED 7/22/2020 |
| Spanish Mackerel - Southern Zone | 3,146,381 | 2,667,330 | 118.0 | CLOSED on 2/3/2021 | |||
| 2,417,330* | 130.2 |
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, yellowmouth 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 Jan-June quota is rolled over into the July-Dec 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 modifed 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 2/26/2020.
Dealers in the Gulf of Mexico 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
For additional information about this page, please contact Mary Vara at (727) 824-5305 or mary.vara@noaa.gov.
An oceanic whitetip shark swims near the surface of the water. Photo courtesy of John Carlson.
