Name: eRegulations
Price range: $

Issued: July 2025
New regulations are highlighted in red
For the most up-to-date recreational saltwater fishing regulations, visit the FWC Saltwater Recreational Fishing page.

Regulations apply to state waters of the Gulf and Atlantic
State waters extend 9 miles from shore on the Gulf and 3 miles from shore on the Atlantic coast.

« Spearing Prohibited

p Must remain in whole condition (removal of gills and guts allowed).

u Measured as total length. Total length is the straight line distance from the most forward part of the head with the mouth closed to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed together while the fish is lying on its side.

n State regulations apply in federal waters.

l Additional fishing gear rules apply. For full details, visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website.

T Harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook (any hook with two or more points and a common shaft) in conjunction with live or dead natural bait.

X State Reef Fish Angler designation required when fishing for select reef fish species from a private vessel in the Gulf of America or Atlantic Ocean.

Atlantic Grouper General Regulations:

Atlantic grouper regulations apply to all state waters of the Atlantic and all state waters off Monroe County (Gulf and Atlantic sides).
Atlantic Grouper/Tilefish Aggregate Bag Limit – includes all species of grouper plus golden and blueline tilefish included in a 3 fish per harvester per day aggregate bag limit in any combination of species.

Gulf Grouper General Regulations:

Gulf grouper regulations apply to all state waters of the Gulf except off Monroe County (where Atlantic rules apply).
Gulf Grouper Aggregate Bag Limit – all species of grouper in the Gulf are included in a 4 fish per harvester per day aggregate bag limit in any combination of grouper species.

* Zero bag limit for captain and crew of for-hire vessels applies to Gulf gag, black, and red grouper only.

Grouper, Black p u l X

Illustration of a black grouper showing its large body, gray-brown coloration with darker rectangular blotches, and spiny dorsal fin, a prized saltwater game fish. — **Black grouper** — a powerful saltwater game fish recognized by its dark rectangular blotches and robust body, highly valued by anglers and common in Florida’s reefs and offshore waters.

Minimum Size Limits:

Atlantic - 24"
Gulf - 24"

Season:

Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30
Gulf - Open year-round

Daily Recreational Bag Limit:

Atlantic - 1 per harvester. Only 1 fish can be gag or black
Gulf - 4 per harvester*

Grouper, Snowy p l

Illustration of a snowy grouper with a dark brown body, lighter markings, and a spiny dorsal fin, a deepwater grouper species found in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. — **Snowy grouper** — a deepwater reef fish with a dark brown body and pale blotches, highly prized by anglers for its challenge and excellent table quality.

Minimum Size Limit:

Atlantic and Gulf - None

Season:

Atlantic - Open May 1–June 8
Gulf - Open year round

Daily Recreational Bag Limit:

Atlantic - 1 per vessel
Gulf - 4 per harvester

Grouper, Red p u l X

Illustration of a red grouper with a reddish-brown body and white spots, a popular reef fish found in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic waters. — **Red grouper** — a prized reef fish known for its reddish-brown color and white spotting, commonly caught by anglers in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic.

Minimum Size Limits:

Atlantic and Gulf - 20"

Season:

Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30
Gulf - Open year-round

Daily Recreational Bag Limit:

Atlantic - 3 per harvester
Gulf - 2 per harvester*

Grouper, Warsaw & Speckled Hind p l

Illustration of a speckled hind, a deep-water grouper species with a dark reddish-brown body covered in distinctive white spots, found in the Atlantic Ocean. — **Speckled hind** — a deep-water grouper recognized by its reddish-brown color and white speckles, valued by anglers in Atlantic and Gulf waters.

Illustration of a Warsaw grouper, a large deep-water fish with a robust brown body and spiny dorsal fin, found in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. — **Warsaw grouper** — a powerful deep-water species with a dark brown body and spiny dorsal fin, prized by anglers in Gulf and Atlantic waters.

Minimum Size Limits:

Atlantic and Gulf - None

Season:

Open year-round

Daily Recreational Bag Limit:

Atlantic and Gulf - 1 per vessel of each species

Grouper, Scamp p u l

Illustration of a scamp grouper, a slender-bodied reef fish with a speckled brown pattern and spiny dorsal fin, found in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic waters. — **Scamp grouper** — a speckled reef fish with a slender body and spiny dorsal fin, commonly found in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic reefs.

Minimum Size Limits:

Atlantic - 20"
Gulf - 16"

Season:

Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30
Gulf - Open year-round

Daily Recreational Bag Limit:

Atlantic - 3 per harvester
Gulf - 4 per harvester

Grouper, Gag p u l X

Illustration of a gag grouper, a large gray-brown reef fish with dark mottled patterns and a robust body, commonly found in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. — **Gag grouper** — a popular reef fish with gray-brown mottled markings, prized by anglers in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic waters.

Minimum Size Limits:

Atlantic - 24"
Gulf - 24"

Season:

Atlantic - Open May 1–June 25
Gulf - For 2025 Gulf fishing season updates, visit the FWC Gulf fishing regulations page.

Daily Recreational Bag Limit:

Atlantic - 1 per harvester. Only 1 fish can be gag or black
Gulf - 2 per harvester*

Grouper, Yellowfin & Yellowmouth p u l

Illustration of a yellowfin grouper, a reef fish with a reddish body covered in darker spots and bright yellow fins, commonly found in Florida waters and the Caribbean. — **Yellowfin grouper** — a colorful reef fish with bright yellow fins and spotted red patterns, found in Florida and Caribbean waters.

Illustration of a yellowmouth grouper, a brownish reef fish with small dark spots and yellow coloring inside its mouth, found in Florida and Gulf of Mexico waters. — **Yellowmouth groupe**r — a spotted brown reef fish recognized by its yellow mouth, commonly found in Florida and Gulf of Mexico waters.

Minimum Size Limits:

Atlantic and Gulf - 20"

Season:

Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30
Gulf - Open year-round

Daily Recreational Bag Limit:

Atlantic - 3 per harvester
Gulf - 4 per harvester

Other Groupers n p l

Other Grouper includes:

Rock Hind, Red Hind, Coney, Graysby, Misty, and Yellowedge

Season:

Atlantic - Rock hind, Red hind, Coney, Graysby: Closed Jan. 1–April 30
Atlantic - All others open year-round
Gulf - Open year-round

Daily Recreational Bag Limit:

Atlantic - 3 per harvester
Gulf - 4 per harvester

All art: © Diane Rome Peebles, except blueline tilefish, golden tilefish and snowy grouper (Duane Raver); lionfish (FWC); and crustaceans and mollusks