Warsaw grouperin North Carolina
Hyporthodus nigritus
The rule in North Carolina
North Carolina’s own rule for Warsaw grouper in state waters, out to 3 nautical miles.
Prohibited in NC coastal and joint waters; also protected under SAFMC federal rules.
NC DMF 2026· checked Put it back
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.
Must be released immediately.
SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked 2026-09-16
North Carolina state record
245 lb, Wrightsville Beach, 1967. NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22
How to tell it
Deep-water giant; the only grouper with 10 dorsal spines and an elongated second spine. More on the Warsaw grouper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Warsaw grouper in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a Warsaw grouper in North Carolina and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appWarsaw grouper in North Carolina: the questions
Can you keep Warsaw grouper in North Carolina?
No. Harvest is prohibited in North Carolina. Release it in the water where you can. Prohibited in NC coastal and joint waters; also protected under SAFMC federal rules.
What is the North Carolina record Warsaw grouper?
245 lb, Wrightsville Beach (1967).
How current is this North Carolina Warsaw grouper rule?
Source: NC DMF 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.