The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council reminds commercial and recreational fishermen about several fishery openings and closures in federal waters of the South Atlantic effective January 1, 2015.Below is a summary of these changes to regulations. For detailed regulations
information including trip limits, size limits, and bag limits, please visit the Regulations & Fish ID page of the Council’s website or download the SA Fishing Regulations mobile app (see information below).
Commercial
Openings: The following species REOPENED to harvest on January 1, 2015:
- Golden tilefish
- Gray triggerfish
- Blueline tilefish
- Deepwater grouper (includes yellowedge grouper, silk snapper, misty grouper, queen snapper, sand tilefish, black snapper, and blackfin snapper)
- Jacks complex (includes almaco jack, banded rudderfish, and lesser amberjack)
- Snowy grouper
- Cobia
- Vermilion snapper
- Snowy grouper
- Porgy complex (includes jolthead porgy, knobbed porgy, whitebone porgy, scup, and saucereye porgy)
- NOTE: Species will remain open to harvest until NOAA Fisheries determines the Annual Catch Limit has been met or is projected to be met.
Closures:
The following species are CLOSED to harvest effective January 1 through April 30, 2015. These fisheries will reopen May 1, 2015.
-
Shallow water grouper , annual spawning season closure (includes includes gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth grouper, yellowfin grouper, graysby, and coney)
-
Red porgy
Recreational Harvest
Openings: The following species REOPENED to harvest on January 1, 2015:
- Snowy grouper
- Golden tilefish
- Gray triggerfish
- Porgy complex (includes jolthead porgy, knobbed porgy, whitebone porgy, scup, and saucereye porgy)
- NOTE: Species will remain open to harvest until NOAA Fisheries determines the Annual Catch Limit has been met or is projected to be met.
Closures: The following species are CLOSED to harvest effective January 1 through April 30, 2015. These fisheries will reopen May 1, 2015.
- Shallow water grouper, annual spawning season closure (includes includes gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth grouper, yellowfin grouper, graysby, and coney)
NOTE:
Red snapper, warsaw grouper, Nassau grouper, speckled hind, and goliath grouper remain closed to
commercial and recreational harvest or possession.