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Extended for-hire trips

Anglers fishing off an offshore recreational boat

Overview

In general, the daily bag limits set by Commission rule for saltwater fishing are for a calendar day (24-hour period from midnight to midnight). These limits are also possession limits. Therefore, it is illegal to possess more than one day's bag limit "while in, on or above the waters of the State or on any dock, pier, bridge, beach or other fishing site adjacent to such waters" with regard to most species.

Once you have caught and possess the bag limit for a species, you may not harvest any more of that species until the next 24-hour period. Thus, it is illegal to take the catch to shore and then return to the sea to harvest another daily bag limit during the same calendar day.

For-Hire Exceptions

There are exceptions that allow individuals to possess over the daily bag limit of certain fish when fishing from a headboat or charter boat under limited circumstances in Atlantic and Gulf state waters. These exceptions are consistent with regulations in adjacent federal waters. At a minimum, these for-hire trips must span more than 24 hours in the Atlantic and more than 30 hours in the Gulf and follow certain requirements. See specific exceptions below:

 

Gulf (>30 hours): Expand/Collapse Gulf (>30 hours):
  • Timeframe: More than 30 hours
  • Applies to: Passengers fishing aboard a charter/headboat trip in Gulf state waters
  • Bag Limit: 2 daily bag limits (may possess at any time)
  • Species: Reef fish, king mackerel, and Spanish mackerel
    • Excludes speckled hind and warsaw grouper (1 per vessel bag limit for each species, regardless of trip duration)
  • Requirements:
  • For-hire vessel has two licensed operators on board
  • Each passenger is issued and has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel that verifies the date, time of departure and length of trip
  • Timeframe: More than 24 hours
  • Applies to: Passengers fishing aboard a charter/headboat trip in Atlantic state waters
  • Bag Limit: 2 daily bag limits
    • 2nd bag limit possession only after 24 hours
  • Species: Reef fish, king mackerel, and Spanish mackerel
    • Excludes speckled hind and warsaw grouper (1 per vessel bag limit for each species, regardless of trip duration) and red porgy (3 per person bag limit, regardless of trip duration)
  • Requirements:
    • For-hire vessel has two licensed operators on board
    • Each passenger is issued and has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel that verifies the length of the trip
  • Timeframe: More than 48 hours
  • Applies to: Passengers fishing aboard a headboat trip only in Atlantic state waters
  • Bag Limit: 3 daily bag limits
    • 2nd bag limit possession only after 24 hours
    • 3rd bag limit possession only after 48 hours
  • Species: Reef fish
    • Excludes speckled hind and warsaw grouper (1 per vessel bag limit for each species, regardless of trip duration) and red porgy (3 per person bag limit, regardless of trip duration)
  • Requirements:
    • Each passenger is issued and has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel that verifies the length of the trip

Rules