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Species · Nearshore

Snowy Grouper

Hyporthodus niveatus

Rules in 11 state rulebooks, checked Sep 16, 2026. Every rule names its source and the day it was last checked; the official rulebook is the final word.

Snowy Grouper
Drawing: Duane Raver / USFWS

How to tell it

Deep-drop grouper; juveniles wear white pearl spots.

Rules for

Every state

StateSizeBagSeasonToday
AlabamaNo size limit4 per person within 4-grouper aggregateOpen when federal Gulf waters are open (currently year-round)AL MRD 2026 · likely · checked Open
Florida (Atlantic)No size limit1 per vessel per day within 3-grouper aggregateOpen May 1-Jun 6FWC 2026 · checked Closed
Florida (Gulf)No size limitUp to 4 within 4-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundFWC 2026 · checked Open
GeorgiaFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)No size limit1 per vessel per day within 3-grouper/tilefish aggregate2026 season May 1 - Jun 6; quota-closed Jun 7, 2026 through Apr 30, 2027SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked Closed
LouisianaNo size limit4 per person in grouper aggregateOpen year-roundLDWF 2026 · likely · checked Open
MarylandNo size limit1 (all groupers combined)Open year-roundMD DNR 2026 · likely · checked Open
MississippiNo size limitNo individual limit (within 4-grouper aggregate)Open year-roundMS DMR 2026 · checked Open
North CarolinaFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)No size limit1 per vessel per day within 3-grouper/tilefish aggregate2026 season May 1 - Jun 6; quota-closed Jun 7, 2026 through Apr 30, 2027SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked Closed
South CarolinaNo size limitWithin 3-grouper aggregate; 1 fish vessel limitOpen year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked Open
TexasFederal rule (Gulf federal waters)No size limitWithin 4-grouper aggregate (4 groupers combined per person per day)Open year-roundNOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked Open
VirginiaNo size limit1 grouper per person (all grouper species combined)Open year-roundVMRC 2026 · likely · checked Open

Not specifically regulated in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).

State records

StateWeightWhen, whereSource
Alabama68 lb 7 oz2014Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23
Louisiana60 lb2014 · South PassLOWA Louisiana State Fish Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23
Maryland66 lb2012 · Norfolk CanyonMD DNR Sport Fish State Records · checked 2026-08-23 · MD Atlantic division record
Mississippi24 lb 3.2 oz2010MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23
South Carolina36 lb 8 oz2022 · CharlestonSCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23
Texas75.3 lb2011 · Gulf of AmericaTPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23
Virginia70 lb 7 oz2011 · Norfolk CanyonVMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04

On the table

Excellent.

In the app

Point the camera at a snowy grouper and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.

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Questions anglers ask about snowy grouper

How many snowy grouper can you keep?

Alabama: 4 per person within 4-grouper aggregate; Florida (Atlantic): 1 per vessel per day within 3-grouper aggregate; Florida (Gulf): Up to 4 within 4-grouper aggregate; Georgia: 1 per vessel per day within 3-grouper/tilefish aggregate; Louisiana: 4 per person in grouper aggregate; Maryland: 1 (all groupers combined); Mississippi: No individual limit (within 4-grouper aggregate); North Carolina: 1 per vessel per day within 3-grouper/tilefish aggregate; and more in the table above.

When is snowy grouper season?

Florida (Atlantic): Open May 1-Jun 6; Georgia: 2026 season May 1 - Jun 6; quota-closed Jun 7, 2026 through Apr 30, 2027; North Carolina: 2026 season May 1 - Jun 6; quota-closed Jun 7, 2026 through Apr 30, 2027.

What is the record snowy grouper?

75.3 lb in Texas (2011), Gulf of America. Other states’ records are in the table.