Red grouperin Florida (Gulf)
Epinephelus morio
The rule in Florida (Gulf)
Florida (Gulf)’s own rule for red grouper in state waters, out to 9 nautical miles.
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.
Feb-Mar closure applies only beyond 20 fathoms.
NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked 2026-09-20
Often mistaken for, and their Florida (Gulf) rules
Keep the wrong fish and the rule that applies is the other one’s.
| Fish | Size | Bag | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red grouperThis page. | 20 in TL min | 2 per person within 4-grouper aggregate | Open year-round |
| Red snapperSnapper is brighter red with a snapper jaw and forked tail.Tell them apart | 16 in TL min | 2 per person (within 10-snapper aggregate) | 2026: May 22 - Jul 31; Sep 1 - Oct 4; Oct-Nov weekends through Nov 22 |
| Red hindSmaller, covered in discrete red spots.Tell them apart | No size limit | Up to 4 within 4-grouper aggregate | Open year-round |
Florida (Gulf) state record
42.25 lb, St. Augustine Inlet, 1997. FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23
How to tell it
Brick-red mottle, pale blotches, sloped straight head profile; inside of mouth washed red. More on the red grouper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Red grouper in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a red grouper in Florida (Gulf) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appRed grouper in Florida (Gulf): the questions
What is the size limit for red grouper in Florida (Gulf)?
20 in TL min. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, with the tail lobes squeezed together.
How many red grouper can you keep in Florida (Gulf)?
2 per person within 4-grouper aggregate. It counts toward an aggregate: Gulf 4-grouper aggregate.
When is red grouper season in Florida (Gulf)?
Open year-round.
What is the Florida (Gulf) record red grouper?
42.25 lb, St. Augustine Inlet (1997).
How current is this Florida (Gulf) red 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.