2025 recreational gag grouper season open Sept 1-14 in Gulf state waters

The 2025 recreational gag grouper season for Gulf state waters will be open Sept. 1-14 and will close at 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 15.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order to modify the recreational season of gag grouper in Gulf state waters, excluding all state waters off Monroe County. The 2025 Gulf gag grouper recreational season was set to prevent overfishing following the quota overage that occurred in 2024 and to be consistent with the season recently announced in adjacent federal waters.

If you plan to fish for gag grouper or other specific reef fish species in Gulf state or federal waters from a private recreational vessel, you must sign up for the State Reef Fish Angler Designation (annual renewal is required). As a State Reef Fish Angler, you could be selected to receive a mail survey component of the State Reef Fish Survey.

Data from the State Reef Fish Survey is now being used for Gulf gag grouper management and by participating in the survey, you are improving recreational data that is used to provide recreational fishing opportunities in Florida.  To learn more about the State Reef Fish Survey, visit MyFWC.com/SRFS.

For current recreational gag grouper regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Grouper.”