Gag Grouper regulations
Florida · Curated reference from cited public sources · listings, not permission to fish or retain a catch · This selected Florida saltwater reference subset is not a complete rulebook.
SPECIES LINKS
FIELD GUIDE
Mycteroperca microlepis
speciesBASICAlso known as velvet rockfish or charcoal belly, a grouper of the warmer West Atlantic. A protogynous hermaphrodite — all fish start life as females.
HABITAT
Juveniles in estuaries and seagrass beds; adults farther offshore over rocky substrates at 40–100 m.
SIZE
max 145 cm (57 in); 50 cm common
TEXT CONDENSED FROM WIKIPEDIA, AVAILABLE UNDER CC BY-SA 4.0
Gag Grouper identification is educational; species identification does not establish legal applicability for Florida.
- LAST LISTED/REFERENCE LIMITS
- 2 per person within the 4-grouper aggregate; charter captain and crew 0 · minimum 24 inches
- LISTED SEASON WINDOWS
- Sep 1, 2026 through Sep 30, 2026 · 2 fish listed
- APPLICABILITY
- Gulf regulations excluding Monroe County. FWC's August 7, 2026 update sets the 2026 Gulf state-water season to September 1-30 and closes harvest October 1; Atlantic gag differs (May 1-August 1, one gag or black within a 3-grouper aggregate).
- SOURCE AUTHORITY
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Groupers recreational regulations and August 7, 2026 gag-grouper update
UPDATED August 7, 2026 · CHECKED Aug 17, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC · EFFECTIVE YEAR 2026
FWC saltwater fishing regulations ↗The FWC page is an informational summary; the Florida Administrative Code and emergency orders are authoritative.
LAUNCH SITES
Curated launch sites in Florida (9)
Florida · MARINA
Florida · MARINA
Florida · MARINA
Florida · DOCK
Florida · MARINA
Florida · MARINA
Florida · MARINA
Florida · MARINA
Florida · MARINA
This reference does not grant permission to fish or retain a catch. Location, method, vessel, species identification, and emergency closures can change what applies. Verify the applicable official rules.