Black grouperin Florida (Atlantic)
Mycteroperca bonaci
The rule in Florida (Atlantic)
Florida (Atlantic)’s own rule for black grouper in state waters, out to 3 nautical miles.
Atlantic shallow-water groupers closed Jan 1-Apr 30.
Counts toward an aggregate limit: Atlantic 3-grouper/tilefish aggregate.
Measured as total length (TL): snout to the tip of the tail, with the tail lobes squeezed together.
FWC 2026· checked Open
Beyond 3 miles: federal waters
A different rule past the 3-mile line, written by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Where the two differ, the water you are in decides.
Vessel limit 2 per day.
SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked 2026-09-16
Florida (Atlantic) state record
113.38 lb, Dry Tortugas, 1990. FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23
How to tell it
Rectangular dark blotches over brassy-bronze spots; gently rounded preopercle (no gag notch). More on the black grouper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Black grouper in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a black grouper in Florida (Atlantic) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appBlack grouper in Florida (Atlantic): the questions
What is the size limit for black grouper in Florida (Atlantic)?
24 in TL min. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, with the tail lobes squeezed together.
How many black grouper can you keep in Florida (Atlantic)?
1 gag or black combined within 3-grouper aggregate; 2 per vessel. It counts toward an aggregate: Atlantic 3-grouper/tilefish aggregate.
When is black grouper season in Florida (Atlantic)?
Open May 1-Dec 31. As of Sep 21, 2026 it is open.
What is the Florida (Atlantic) record black grouper?
113.38 lb, Dry Tortugas (1990).
How current is this Florida (Atlantic) black grouper rule?
Source: FWC 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.