NOAA Fisheries Announces the 2026 Gag Recreational Season in Federal Waters of the Gulf

What/When/Why:

• Federal waters of the Gulf will open to gag recreational harvest at 12:01 a.m., local time, September 1, 2026, and will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, October 1, 2026.

Why The Gag Closure Is Happening:

• NOAA Fisheries projects the 2026 recreational annual catch target will be harvested as of October 1, 2026.
• In accordance with the regulations, NOAA Fisheries must close harvest when the recreational annual catch target has been met or is projected to be met. Therefore, this closure will begin at 12:01 am on October 1, 2026.

During The Closure:

• During the recreational closure, the bag and possession limits are zero for gag in or from federal waters of the Gulf.
• The prohibition on possession of gag also applies in Gulf state waters for a vessel issued a valid federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf reef fish.

What are the catch levels for gag in the Gulf?

• The most recent population assessment (SEDAR 72) for Gulf gag indicated that the stock is overfished and undergoing overfishing.
• Catch limits for Gulf gag are based on the projections from SEDAR 72, which included estimates of private recreational landings in Florida derived from the Florida State Reef Fish Survey.
• The recreational annual catch limit and annual catch target for 2026 are 499,000 and 399,000 pounds gutted weight, respectively. The 2025 landings did not exceed the recreational ACL or ACT, and thus, no payback is required as had been the case in the 2024 and 2025 fishing seasons.

How was the recreational gag season determined?

• Elevated fishing effort for recreational gag was observed beginning in 2023 following the shortening of the season and shift in start date.

• NOAA Fisheries worked with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to project the fall season length for gag based on landings from the last three years.

Sign Up For Text Message Alerts - Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures

NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery-related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt out at any time.

Text alerts you may receive include:

• Immediate fishery openings and closures
• Any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly

Sign up for one or more of the following groups:

• Gulf Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
  • Text GULFRECFISH to 888777
• Gulf Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
  • Text GULFCOMMFISH to 888777
• South Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
  • Text SATLRECFISH to 888777
• South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
  • Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777
• Caribbean Fisheries-Related Alerts

Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office

Permits Mailbox: The Permits Office in St. Petersburg, Florida, now has a Permits mailbox in the front lobby (263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701). You can now drop off original permits for permit transfers. Envelopes with information labels will be provided so that your documents can be attached to the correct application. The mailbox will be checked daily. For more information contact the Permits Office at 877-376-4877.

Other contacts:

Media: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750

Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202