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Effective immediately: Increase in Gulf Red Grouper Catch Limits
Key Messages:
NOAA Fisheries is taking emergency action to increase the catch limits for Gulf of America[1] red grouper (Table 1). The Gulf Council requested NOAA Fisheries take emergency action for 2025 while the Council develops an amendment to modify red grouper catch limits and sector allocations.
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- The most recent population assessment indicates Gulf red grouper catch limits can be substantially increased without harming the population.
- This change is being made to increase economic opportunities for for-hire and commercial businesses and increase fishing opportunities for recreational anglers.
- The red grouper commercial sector is managed under an individual fishing quota (IFQ) program. The increase to the commercial quota will be distributed to IFQ shareholders on August 7, 2025.
- This Emergency Rule will be effective from August 6, 2025 until the end of the fishing year on December 31, 2025. This Emergency Rule will not be extended.
- The increase in catch limits is projected to allow the Gulf red grouper recreational sector season to remain open for the rest of 2025. However, if landings reach, or are projected to reach the recreational annual catch limit before the end of the year, then NOAA Fisheries will file a notification to close the recreational sector.
Table 1: Gulf Red grouper previous and new catch limits for the 2025 fishing year (in million pounds gutted weight).
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Previous 2025 Catch Limits*
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New Catch Limits*
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Overfishing Limit (OFL)
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5.99
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10.64
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Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC)
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4.96
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8.28
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Stock Annual Catch Limit (ACL)
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4.96
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7.45 (90% of ABC)
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Commercial ACL (59.3% of Stock ACL)
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2.94
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4.42
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Commercial Annual Catch Target (ACT)
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2.79
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4.20
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Recreational ACL (40.7% of Stock ACL)
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2.02
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3.03
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Recreational ACT
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1.84
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2.76
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*Note that new catch limits were derived, in part, using private recreational landings data from Florida’s State Reef Fish Survey. Previous catch limits were derived, in part, using private recreational landings data from the Marine Recreational Information Program Fishing Effort Survey. Thus, catch limits that include a recreational component are not directly comparable between the current and revised columns.
[1] The Gulf of Mexico was renamed the Gulf of America pursuant to Executive Order 14172, and Secretary of the Interior Order No. 3423. The geographical reference to the Gulf of America refers to the same body of water known as the Gulf of Mexico in the regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
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What will the Emergency Rule for Gulf red grouper do?
- The Emergency Rule will increase catch limits as indicated in Table 1 above. It is expected to increase red grouper harvest in the Gulf, and thus increase economic opportunities for recreational for-hire and commercial businesses, and fishing opportunities for recreational anglers.
Why did the Gulf Council request emergency action?
- A recent stock assessment (Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review 88) found that Gulf red grouper harvest could be substantially increased without harming the stock.
- The recreational fishing season, which began on January 1, was expected to close due to reaching its quota in July. Without this emergency rule, the recreational sector would have closed through the end of the fishing year.
- Due to reductions in catch limits for red grouper and co-occurring reef fish species in recent years (e.g. gag, greater amberjack), commercial and recreational for-hire businesses have faced economic hardship. This emergency rule is intended to allow increased economic opportunities for these businesses, while also providing opportunities for increased harvest to recreational anglers.
- The Gulf Council is currently working on Amendment 62 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf (Reef Fish FMP), which considers updates to Gulf red grouper catch limits and commercial/recreational sector allocations. The amendment would implement long-term management measures for Gulf red grouper, but is not expected to be in place until mid-2026.
- Thus, the Gulf Council requested emergency action to increase red grouper catch limits for the 2025 fishing year.
When will the Emergency Rule go into effect?
- This Emergency Rule will be in effect from August 6, 2025, through December 31, 2025.
- The Emergency Rule will not be extended.
When will IFQ allocation be distributed to IFQ Shareholders?
- Allocation will be released on August 7, 2025.
- Allocation will not include multi-use, for two reasons:
- Since gag is in a rebuilding plan, regulations established in Amendment 56 to the Reef Fish FMP require that red grouper multi-use allocation be set to zero.
- Multi-use quota is not distributed during a mid-year quota increase.
Where can I find more information on the Emergency Rule?
- Contact NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office.
By Mail: Dan Luers
NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505
By FAX: (727) 824-5308
By Phone: (727) 824-5305
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Sign Up for Text Message Alerts
Our Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message and data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time. Text alerts you may receive include immediate fishery openings and closures and any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly.
Sign up for one or more of the fisheries-related alerts below by texting the following to 888777:
- Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico) Recreational: Text GULFRECFISH
- Gulf of America Commercial: Text GULFCOMMFISH
- South Atlantic Recreational: Text SATLRECFISH
- South Atlantic Commercial: Text SATLCOMMFISH
- Caribbean: Text CARIBFISH
Permits Mailbox
The Permits Office in St. Petersburg, Florida now has a Permits mailbox in the front lobby (263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701). You can now drop off original permits for permit transfers. Envelopes with information labels will be provided so that your documents can be attached to the correct application. The mailbox will be checked daily. For more information contact the Permits Office at (877) 376-4877.
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Other Contacts
Media: Allison Garrett (727) 551-5750
Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan (727) 385-5202
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