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Rules by state · Florida (Gulf)

Black grouperin Florida (Gulf)

Mycteroperca bonaci

Recreational rule, FWC 2026, checked Sep 20, 2026. The official rulebook is the final word.

Studio photograph of a Black Grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci), side view, on a white background

The rule in Florida (Gulf)

Florida (Gulf)’s own rule for black grouper in state waters, out to 9 nautical miles.

Size24 in TL min
BagUp to 4 within 4-grouper aggregate
SeasonOpen year-round

Counts toward an aggregate limit: Gulf 4-grouper aggregate.

Measured as total length (TL): snout to the tip of the tail, with the tail lobes squeezed together.

FWC 2026· checked Open

Beyond 9 miles: federal waters

A different rule past the 9-mile line, written by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. Where the two differ, the water you are in decides.

Size24 in total length
BagWithin 4-grouper aggregate (4 groupers combined per person per day)
SeasonOpen year-round, except closed Feb 1 - Mar 31 seaward of the 20-fathom contour (shallow-water grouper closure)

NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked 2026-09-20

Florida (Gulf) 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

Florida (Atlantic)North CarolinaEvery state

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Black grouper in Florida (Gulf): the questions

What is the size limit for black grouper in Florida (Gulf)?

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 (Gulf)?

Up to 4 within 4-grouper aggregate. It counts toward an aggregate: Gulf 4-grouper aggregate.

When is black grouper season in Florida (Gulf)?

Open year-round.

What is the Florida (Gulf) record black grouper?

113.38 lb, Dry Tortugas (1990).

How current is this Florida (Gulf) 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.