Snowy grouperin North Carolina
Hyporthodus niveatus
The rule in North Carolina
Federal rule (South Atlantic federal waters). North Carolina lists no rule of its own for snowy grouper, so the council's rule applies in state waters too.
2026 recreational ACL of 1,713 fish projected met by June 7.
Counts toward an aggregate limit: 3-grouper/tilefish aggregate.
SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026· checked Closed
How to tell it
Deep-drop grouper; juveniles wear white pearl spots. More on the snowy grouper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Snowy grouper in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a snowy grouper in North Carolina and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appSnowy grouper in North Carolina: the questions
What is the size limit for snowy grouper in North Carolina?
No size limit.
How many snowy grouper can you keep in North Carolina?
1 per vessel per day within 3-grouper/tilefish aggregate. It counts toward an aggregate: 3-grouper/tilefish aggregate.
When is snowy grouper season in North Carolina?
2026 season May 1 - Jun 6; quota-closed Jun 7, 2026 through Apr 30, 2027. As of Sep 21, 2026 it is closed.
How current is this North Carolina snowy grouper rule?
Source: SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026, last checked Sep 16, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.