Florida's new Atlantic gag and black grouper rules are now in effect

New recreational rules for gag and black grouper took effect Oct. 28 in Florida's Atlantic state waters, including all waters of Monroe County. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says the changes match rules recently put in place in nearby Atlantic federal waters.

There are two changes. Gag and black grouper now share a combined limit of two fish per recreational vessel, and captains and crew on for-hire trips can no longer keep a bag limit. The per-person limit of one gag or black grouper a day stays the same for private boaters and charter customers.

FWC commissioners approved the changes in 2024 to line up with current and planned federal measures to rebuild the gag grouper stock. The agency says matching state and federal rules helps the stocks recover, can head off federal closures while keeping harvest open along the coast, and makes enforcement simpler. Current rules are on MyFWC.com/Marine and in the Fish Rules app.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: FWC — New regulations for recreational harvest of Atlantic gag and black grouper take effect today (Oct. 26, 2026).