XII. Other Porgies
The Porgies Complex includes jolthead porgy, knobbed porgy, whitebone porgy, saucereye porgy, and scup. These species are included in the twenty (20) fish in the aggregate per person per day recreational bag and possession limit in XVII.C.
XIII. Golden Tilefish
The golden tilefish recreational season opens January 1, 2020 and is subject to the bag limits in XVII.B.
XIV. Blueline Tilefish
It is unlawful to possess blueline tilefish except from May 1 through August 31 each year, subject to the bag limits in XVII.B.
XV. Gray Triggerfish
It is unlawful to possess gray triggerfish less than 12 inches fork length and is subject to the bag limits in XVII.C.
XVI. Wreckfish
A. It is unlawful to possess more than one wreckfish per vessel per day.
B. It is unlawful to possess wreckfish except from July 1 through August 31 of each year.
XVII. Combined Bag Limits
A. It is unlawful to possess more than five (5) vermilion snapper and ten (10) of the following species of snappers in the aggregate per person per day when the recreational season for each species is open: silk snapper, blackfin snapper, yellowtail snapper, cubera snapper, queen snapper, gray snapper, mutton snapper and lane snapper. No more than five (5) may be mutton snapper per person per day within the ten (10) fish snapper aggregate.
B. It is unlawful to possess more than three (3) of the following species of groupers or tilefish in the aggregate per person per day when the recreational season for each species is open: gag grouper, black grouper, snowy grouper, misty grouper, red grouper, scamp, rock hind, red hind, coney, graysby, yellowedge grouper, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper; blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, and sand tilefish with the following restrictions: 1. No more than one may be a gag or black grouper (but not both) per person per day;
2. No more than one golden tilefish per person per day.
3. No more than one snowy grouper per vessel per day.
C. It is unlawful to possess more than twenty (20) of the following species of fish in the aggregate per person per day when the recreational season for each species is open: whitebone porgy, jolthead porgy, knobbed porgy, saucereye porgy, scup (south of Cape Hatteras, 35° 15.0321’ N. Latitude), gray triggerfish, bar jack, almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack, white grunt, margate, sailor’s choice and spadefish.
XVIII. Harvest Restrictions
A. It is unlawful to fail to use dehooking tools in the snapper grouper fisheries when the fish is to be released.
B. It is unlawful to fail to use non-stainless steel circle hooks when fishing for snapper grouper species using natural baits.
C. It is unlawful to possess any species of the snapper grouper complex without heads and fins intact as specified in 50 CFR Part §622.186.
