The 2024 recreational gag grouper season will be open from September 1 to September 15 and will close at 12:01 a.m. on September 16.
Earlier this year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order to modify the recreational season of gag grouper in Gulf state waters, excluding all state waters off Monroe County. The modification aims to prevent overfishing following the quota overage that occurred in 2023 and to align with the season in adjacent federal waters.
Individuals planning to fish for gag grouper or other specific reef fish species in Gulf state or federal waters from a private recreational vessel must sign up for the State Reef Fish Angler Designation, which requires annual renewal. As a State Reef Fish Angler, participants may be selected to receive a mail survey component of the State Reef Fish Survey.
Data from the State Reef Fish Survey is now being used for Gulf gag grouper management. By participating in the survey, anglers contribute to improving recreational data that is used to provide optimum fishing opportunities in Florida. For more information about the State Reef Fish Survey, visit MyFWC.com/SRFS.
For current recreational gag grouper regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Grouper.”