Can you keep a gag grouper?

The minimum size limit for gag grouper is 24 inches total length and the daily bag limit is two fish per harvester within the four grouper aggregate bag limit. Charter captains and crew have a zero bag limit.

Can you keep gag grouper in Florida?

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), recreational harvest of gag grouper opens June 1 through Dec. 31 in all federal and most state waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Can you keep grouper in Florida right now?

Recreational harvest of gray triggerfish and red grouper in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) will close at 12:01 am, local time, on September 15, 2021. Recreational harvest of gray triggerfish will reopen March 1, 2022, following the 2022 January and February seasonal closure.

How big do gag grouper have to be?

All fish less than 35″ TL are female, while most gag over 45″TL are males. Gag may live for 26 years and grow to be 58 inches in length and weigh up to 81 pounds. Gag often congregate around rocky ledges and swim in small groups.

How big of a grouper can you keep?

20-36 inches
A slot limit of 20-36 inches total length. Hook-and-line as the only allowable gear. An annual open harvest season of March 1 through May 31. Harvest allowed in all state waters except those of Palm Beach County south through the Atlantic coast of Monroe County.

What’s the difference between a black grouper and a gag grouper?

This grouper is often confused with the black grouper (M. bonaci), however it is has some distinguishing characteristics. These include the shape of the caudal fin – the gag grouper has a slightly concave margin along the posterior edge of the caudal fin while the black grouper has square-shaped caudal fin.

Is grouper season closed in Florida?

Monroe County: Several species of Atlantic grouper (red, black, yellowfin, yellowmouth, scamp, rock hind, red hind, coney and graysby) are closed Jan. 1 – April 30 in all state and federal waters of the Atlantic including all state waters off Monroe County (Atlantic and Gulf sides).

Why is goliath grouper illegal?

The state ban was put in place in 1990. Goliath grouper, which can grow to 800 pounds and more than 8 feet in length, had been harvested in state waters since the late 1800s. Aside from overfishing, the species is susceptible to dying because of such factors as cold temperatures and red tide blooms.