South Atlantic Fishermen Face New Limits on Gag Grouper Catches
Published Date: 4/23/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
This rule affects fishermen who catch snapper, grouper, and black sea bass in the South Atlantic. It proposes new limits on how many gag and black groupers recreational boats can keep and changes rules for carrying special black sea bass traps on commercial vessels. These changes aim to protect fish populations while making it easier for boats to travel through certain areas. Comments are open until May 26, 2026, so get involved!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Two-Fish Aggregate Vessel Limit
If you fish for gag or black grouper in Federal waters of the South Atlantic, the rule would limit each private recreational vessel to two gag or black grouper in any combination per day, and each for-hire (charter or headboat) vessel to two gag or black grouper in any combination per trip. The one-fish-per-person bag limit (one total per person per day) would not change, and the vessel limits apply only when there are two or more anglers on the vessel. Previously, separate species limits allowed up to two gag and two black grouper (up to four fish) per vessel.
Easier Transit With Ropeless Sea Bass Pots
Commercial vessels with on-demand (ropeless) black sea bass pots would be allowed to transit through marine protected areas (MPAs) and spawning special management zones (spawning SMZs) with buoys remaining connected to on-demand pots, as long as those pots are not baited. Traditional roped sea bass pots must still have buoys disconnected while transiting these areas; the change applies only to commercial vessels and to direct, non-stop transit through MPAs or spawning SMZs.
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