Recreational harvest of gag grouper and gray triggerfish closes in Gulf state waters Jan. 1

Recreational harvest of gag grouper and gray triggerfish closes in Gulf state waters on Jan. 1, 2023. Recreational harvest of gag grouper for all Gulf state waters, excluding Monroe County, will open on Sept. 1, 2023. This modification of the Gulf gag grouper recreational season was approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at its July 2022 meeting in order to reduce overfishing and improve gag grouper abundance. Recreational harvest of gray triggerfish in Gulf state waters will open on March 1, 2023.

The FWC is committed to collecting critical recreational harvest fishing data to inform management of popular reef fish, including gag grouper. The State Reef Fish Survey provides the FWC with a clearer picture of stock health, so please make sure you are signed up as a State Reef Fish Angler. This designation is required for recreational anglers and spearfishers who intend to fish for or harvest certain reef fish species from a private vessel in Florida. To learn more about the State Reef Fish Survey, visit MyFWC.com/SRFS.

For more information on recreational grouper regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations,” “Reef Fish” and then “Grouper.” For more information on recreational gray triggerfish regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations,” “Reef Fish” and then “Triggerfish.” You can also download the Fish Rules App to keep up to date on current recreational regulations while on the water.