§ 622.187 - Bag and possession limits.

§ 622.187 Bag and possession limits.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 88 FR 76701, Nov. 7, 2023.

(a) Additional applicability provisions for South Atlantic snapper-grouper. Section 622.11(a) provides the general applicability for bag and possession limits. However, § 622.11(a) notwithstanding:

(1) The bag and other limits specified in § 622.182(b) apply for South Atlantic snapper-grouper in or from the EEZ to a person aboard a vessel for which a commercial permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued that has on board a longline in the longline closed area.

(2) A person aboard a vessel for which a commercial permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued must comply with the bag limits specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section for South Atlantic snapper-grouper taken with a powerhead, regardless of where taken, when such snapper-grouper are possessed in an SMZ specified in § 622.182(a)(1)(xii) through (a)(1)(xviii) or (a)(1)(xl) through (a)(1)(li).

(3) In the South Atlantic EEZ, a vessel that lawfully harvests snapper-grouper in Bahamian waters, as per § 622.186 (b), must comply with the bag and possession limits specified in this section. For determining how many snapper-grouper are on board a vessel in fillet form when harvested lawfully in Bahamian waters, two fillets of snapper-grouper, regardless of the length of each fillet, is equivalent to one snapper-grouper. The skin must remain intact on the entire fillet of any snapper-grouper carcass.

(b) Bag limits —

(1) Greater amberjack —1.

(2) Grouper and tilefish, combined —3. Within the 3-fish aggregate bag limit:

(i) No more than one fish may be gag or black grouper, combined. However, no gag or black grouper may be retained by the captain or crew of a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat. The bag limit for such captain and crew is zero;

(A) In addition to the bag limits specified in this paragraph (b)(2)(i), for gag, the vessel limit for a vessel operating as a private recreational vessel may not exceed 2 fish per vessel per day.

(B) In addition to the bag limits specified in this paragraph (b)(2)(i), for gag, the vessel limit for a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat may not exceed 2 fish per vessel per trip.

(C) In addition to the bag limits specified in this paragraph (b)(2)(i), for black grouper, the vessel limit for a vessel operating as a private recreational vessel may not exceed 2 fish per vessel per day.

(D) In addition to the bag limits specified in this paragraph (b)(2)(i), for black grouper, the vessel limit for a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat may not exceed 2 fish per vessel per trip.

(ii) No more than one fish per vessel may be a snowy grouper;

(iii) No more than one fish may be a golden tilefish; and

(iv) [Reserved] No more than two fish may be blueline tilefish. However, no blueline tilefish may be retained by the captain or crew of a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat. The bag limit for such captain and crew is zero.

(v) No goliath grouper or Nassau grouper may be retained.

(3) Hogfish.

(i) In the South Atlantic EEZ off Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina—2.

(ii) In the South Atlantic EEZ off the Florida Keys and east coast of Florida, and in the Gulf EEZ south of 25°09′ N. lat. off the west coast of Florida—1.

(4) Snappers, combined —10.

(i) Within the 10-fish bag limit, no more than 5 fish may be mutton snapper.

(ii) Excluded from this 10-fish bag limit are cubera snapper, measuring 30 inches (76.2 cm), TL, or larger, in the South Atlantic off Florida, and red snapper and vermilion snapper. (See § 622.181(b)(2) for the prohibitions on harvest or possession of red snapper, except during a limited recreational fishing season, and § 622.181(c)(1) for limitations on cubera snapper measuring 30 inches (76.2 cm), TL, or larger, in or from the South Atlantic EEZ off Florida.)

(5) Vermilion snapper —5.

(6) Red porgy. 1.

(7) Black sea bass—7.

(8) South Atlantic snapper-grouper (whitebone porgy, jolthead porgy, knobbed porgy, saucereye porgy, scup, almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack, white grunt, margate, sailor's choice, Atlantic spadefish, gray triggerfish, bar jack), combined —20. However, excluded from this 20-fish bag limit are tomtate, South Atlantic snapper-grouper ecosystem component species (specified in table 4 of appendix A to part 622), and those specified in paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) and paragraphs (b)(9) and (10) of this section. Within the 20-fish bag limit, no more than 10 fish can be of any one of these single snapper-grouper species.

(9) Red snapper —1.

(10) No more than one fish per vessel may be a wreckfish.

(11) Longline bag limits. Other provisions of this paragraph (b) notwithstanding, a person on a trip aboard a vessel for which the bag limits apply that has a longline on board is limited on that trip to the bag limit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper for which a bag limit is specified in this paragraph (b), and to zero for all other South Atlantic snapper-grouper. For the purposes of this paragraph (b)(11), a vessel is considered to have a longline on board when a power-operated longline hauler, a cable or monofilament of diameter and length suitable for use in the longline fishery, and gangions are on board. Removal of any one of these elements constitutes removal of a longline.

(c) Possession limits.

(1) Provided each passenger is issued and has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel that verifies the duration of the trip—

(i) A person aboard a charter vessel or headboat on a trip that spans more than 24 hours may possess no more than two daily bag limits of species other than red porgy.

(ii) A person aboard a headboat on a trip that spans more than 48 hours and who can document that fishing was conducted on at least 3 days may possess no more than three daily bag limits of species other than red porgy.

(2) A person aboard a vessel may not possess red porgy in or from the EEZ in excess of one per day or one per trip, whichever is more restrictive.

[78 FR 22952, Apr. 17, 2013, as amended at 78 FR 44465, July 24, 2013; 78 FR 78775, Dec. 27, 2013; 80 FR 16587, Mar. 30, 2015; 80 FR 80688, Dec. 28, 2015; 81 FR 45248, July 13, 2016; 82 FR 34594, July 25, 2017; 83 FR 1309, Jan. 11, 2018; 83 FR 35435, July 26, 2018; 85 FR 11309, Feb. 27, 2020; 87 FR 77747, Dec. 20, 2022; 88 FR 65146, Sept. 21, 2023; 88 FR 76701, Nov. 7, 2023]