Recreational Saltwater Finfish

• 16 inches minimum total length
• 27 inches maximum total length

• Five per person per day
• No more than one over 27-inch maximum total length

• 18 inches minimum total length
• 27 inches maximum total length

• Four per person per day
• None over 27-inch maximum total length

• The retention of Red Drum by captain and crew on charter or headboats while on a for-hire trip is prohibited.
• Recreational saltwater anglers may possess a two-day bag limit of Red Drum on land; however, no person may possess more than the daily bag limit of red drum in any one day or while fishing or while on the water, unless that recreational saltwater angler is aboard a trawler engaged in commercial fishing for a consecutive period longer than 25 hours.
• Take or possession of Red Drum in federal waters is prohibited

No harvest of spotted seatrout is allowed for the captain and crew of a vessel under charter (their creel limit/bag limit zero). Captain and
crew may engage in fishing to demonstrate fishing for clients but may not harvest any spotted seatrout.

Recreational saltwater anglers may possess a two-day’s bag limit on land; however, no person may possess more than the daily bag limit in any one day or while fishing or while on the water, unless that recreational saltwater angler is aboard a trawler engaged in commercial fishing for a consecutive period longer than 25 hours.

• No more than one speckled hind and one warsaw grouper per vessel per day.
• No more than two red grouper per person per day within the aggregate bag limit.

Four grouper per person per day in aggregate; the four grouper aggregate is: speckled hind; black, red, snowy, yellowedge, yellowfin, yellowmouth, and warsaw grouper; gag; and scamp. Additional restrictions for the four grouper aggregate:

• No more than one speckled hind and one warsaw grouper per vessel per day.
• No more than two red grouper and two gag per person per day within the aggregate bag limit.

Two red grouper per person per day within the four grouper aggregate; four grouper per person per day in aggregate. The four grouper aggregate is: speckled hind; black, red, snowy, yellowedge, yellowfin, yellowmouth, and warsaw grouper; gag; and scamp. Additional restrictions for the four grouper aggregate:

• No more than one speckled hind and one warsaw grouper per vessel per day.
• No more than two gag per person per day within the aggregate bag limit.

Open year-round in state waters except February 1 through March 31 seaward of the 20-fathom (120 feet) boundary. Note that there are closed seasons for other grouper species within the four grouper aggregate:
- Gag is closed January 1 through September 1, 2024 in state waters;
- Black and Yellowmouth Grouper and Scamp are closed February 1 through March 31 in state waters seaward of the 20-fathom (120 feet) boundary;
- Red Grouper closes June 30, 2024 for the remainder of the year.

Four grouper per person per day in aggregate; the four grouper aggregate is: speckled hind; black, red, snowy, yellowedge, yellowfin, yellowmouth, and warsaw grouper; gag; and scamp. Additional restrictions for the four grouper aggregate:

• No more than one speckled hind and one warsaw grouper per vessel.
• No more than two red grouper and two gag per person per day within the aggregate bag limit.

Red Snapper Season to Close October 6, 2024  at 11:59 p.m.

• Five per person per day within the 10 snapper aggregate; the 10 snapper aggregate is all snappers (gray, mutton, yellowtail, cubera, queen, blackfin, silk, and wenchman) except red, vermilion, and lane snapper.
• A recreational saltwater angler may possess a two-day limit on a charter vessel or headboat on a multi-day trip if the vessel/headboat has two licensed operators as required by the U.S. Coast Guard for trips more than 12 hours, and the angler has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel verifying the length of the trip.

• 10 per person per day within the 10 snapper aggregate; the 10 snapper aggregate is all snappers (gray, mutton, yellowtail, cubera, queen, blackfin, silk, and wenchman) except red, vermilion, and lane snapper. Additional restrictions for the 10 snapper aggregate:
  • No more than five mutton snapper per person per day within the aggregate bag limit.
• A recreational saltwater angler may possess a two-day limit on a charter vessel or headboat on a multi-day trip if the vessel/headboat has two licensed operators as required by the U.S. Coast Guard for trips more than 12 hours, and the angler has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel verifying the length of the trip.

• 10 per person per day within the 10 snapper aggregate; the 10 snapper aggregate is all snappers (gray, mutton, yellowtail, cubera, queen, blackfin, silk, and wenchman) except red, vermilion, and lane snapper. Additional restrictions for the 10 snapper aggregate:
  • No more than five mutton snapper per person per day within the aggregate bag limit.
• A recreational saltwater angler may possess a two-day limit on a charter vessel or headboat on a multi-day trip if the vessel/headboat has two licensed operators as required by the U.S. Coast Guard for trips more than 12 hours, and the angler has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel verifying the length of the trip.

• 10 per person per day within the 20 reef fish aggregate; the 20 reef fish aggregate is vermillion and lane snapper, almaco jack, gray triggerfish, and tilefish. Additional restrictions for the 20 reef fish aggregate:
  • No more than one gray triggerfish per person per day within the aggregate bag limit.
• A recreational saltwater angler may possess a two-day limit on a charter vessel or headboat on a multi-day trip if the vessel/headboat has two licensed operators as required by the U.S. Coast Guard for trips more than 12 hours, and the angler has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel verifying the length of the trip.

• 20 per person per day within the 20 reef fish aggregate; the 20 reef fish aggregate is vermillion and lane snapper, almaco jack, gray triggerfish, and tilefish. Additional restrictions for the 20 reef fish aggregate:
  • No more than one gray triggerfish and 10 vermilion snapper per person per day within the aggregate bag limit.
• A recreational saltwater angler may possess a two-day limit on a charter vessel or headboat on a multi-day trip if the vessel/headboat has two licensed operators as required by the U.S. Coast Guard for trips more than 12 hours, and the angler has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel verifying the length of the trip.

Open year-round in state waters, or until the annual catch limit is projected to be met. Note that there are closed seasons for other reef fish species within the 20 reef fish aggregate—gray triggerfish is closed January 1 through the end of February and June 1 through July 31.

20 per person per day within the 20 reef fish aggregate; the 20 reef fish aggregate is vermillion and lane snapper, almaco jack, gray triggerfish, and tilefish. Additional restrictions for the 20 reef fish aggregate:

• No more than one gray triggerfish and 10 vermilion snapper per person per day within the aggregate bag limit.

One per person per day within the 20 reef fish aggregate; the 20 reef fish aggregate is vermillion and lane snapper, almaco jack, gray triggerfish, and tilefish. Additional restrictions for the 20 reef fish aggregate:

• No more than 10 vermilion snapper per person per day within the aggregate bag limit.

Closed January 1 through end of February; open March 1 through May 31; closed June 1 through July 31; open September 1 through December 31, or until the annual quota is met or projected to be met

20 per person per day within the 20 reef fish aggregate; the 20 reef fish aggregate is vermillion and lane snapper, almaco jack, gray triggerfish, and tilefish. Additional restrictions for the 20 reef fish aggregate:

• No more than one gray triggerfish and 10 vermilion snapper per person per day within the aggregate bag limit.

• Recreational fishing vessels shall not possess more than one swordfish per person with a maximum of four swordfish per vessel per trip, whichever is less.
• Charter vessels may not possess more than one swordfish per paying passenger with a maximum of up to six per vessel per trip, whichever is less.
• Headboat vessels may not possess more than one swordfish per paying passenger with a maximum of up to fifteen per vessel per trip, whichever is less.
• Swordfish taken under a recreational bag limit shall not be sold, purchased, exchanged, bartered, or attempted to be sold, purchased, exchanged, or bartered.

• Opens January 1 each year and closes when the quota is met
• Check with NOAA Fisheries for more information.

• Directed or targeted recreational fishing of bluefin tuna is prohibited in the Gulf of Mexico.
• You must report all bluefin tuna landings and dead discards to NOAA Fisheries within 24 hours of landing. Report online, via the mobile app, or by calling 888.872.8862.

• Small coastal sharks:  blacknose, and finetooth sharks
• Large coastal sharks: blacktip, nurse, smooth hammerhead, bull, sandbar*, spinner, great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, tiger, lemon, and silky* sharks
• Pelagic sharks: blue, porbeagle, thresher, oceanic whitetip, and shortfin mako sharks
• *Recreational harvest of sandbar and silky sharks (ridgeback sharks) is prohibited

• Males: 71 inches minimum fork length
• Females: 83 inches minimum fork length

How to identify female vs. male sharks

Atlantic angel, sand tiger, dusky, bigeye sand tiger, sixgill, largetooth sawfish, bigeye thresher, smalltooth sawfish, narrowtooth, Caribbean reef, white*, Caribbean sharpnose, basking, sevengill, Galapagos, bigeye sixgill, smalltail, longfin mako, bignose, whale, and night sharks

*A person may fish for but not retain white shark with rod and reel only under a catch and release program, provided the person releases and returns such fish to the sea immediately with a minimum of injury.

Recreational harvest of sandbar and silky sharks (ridgeback sharks) is prohibited.