South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

Grunt, White

Grunt, White

Haemulon plumierii
Recreational
All areas are open for recreational fishing.
Commercial
All areas are open for commercial fishing.

The white grunt is silver-gray, with numerous blue and yellow horizontal stripes on the body and head with a white underbelly. Mouth is large and bright orange. On some individuals the scales are tipped with bronze. The pectoral fins are chalky and the other fins are gray. The lining of the body cavity, or peritoneum, is black.

White grunt occur in tropical and warm-temperature waters, inhabiting irregular bottom areas of the continental shelf from Virginia to Brazil, including Bermuda, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Audible grunting is produced by grinding of the pharyngeal teeth, with the air bladder acting as an amplifier. White grunts are sexually mature during their third year, or when they reach about 10 inches long. Spawning occurs in the late spring and summer. The species is reported to live as long as 13 years, attaining a length of 25 inches and weight of 8 pounds. White grunt are carnivores that feed on bottom-dwelling invertebrates by rooting around in the sand and shell hash between rocky ledges and at the bases of coral formations.

Regulations

A school of white grunt swimming under water.

NC, SC, GA, FL

  • Season is currently open.
  • 20 Aggregate Limit
  • 10 Bag Limit
  • Notes:

    No minimum size limit.

    A descending device is required on board all vessels fishing for or possessing snapper and grouper species in federal waters of the South Atlantic. The descending device must be readily available for use and attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line. Get more information at Best Fishing Practices Webpage

    Must be landed with head and fins intact.

    If you are bringing fish back to the U.S. from the Bahamas by water, please see Bringing fish back from the Bahamas.

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    Federally Permitted Charter/Headboats:

    • If a federally permitted vessel fishing in federal waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in federal waters, the vessel is not allowed to retain that fish.
    • If a federally permitted vessel fishing in state waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in federal waters but open in state waters, the vessel is not allowed to retain that species.
    • If a federally permitted vessel fishing in federal waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in state waters but open to harvest in federal waters, they may retain that fish if they do not stop to fish in state waters when returning to port. All gear must be stowed.

    Federally Permitted Charter/Headboats must have the following on board:

    • The 2019 version of the NMFS document titled “Careful Release Protocols for Sea Turtle Release with Minimal Injury” (document may be electronic).
    • NMFS sea turtle handling and release guidelines placard
    • Required release and handling gears

    See Snapper Grouper Sea Turtle and Smalltooth Sawfish Release Gear Requirements for more information.

    For more information on management of South Atlantic federal fisheries, please visit SAFMC or NOAA Fisheries.

    To see commercial regulations, download Fish Rules Commercial App for iOS devices or Android devices.

  • Gear Description: Allowable gear includes vertical hook-and-line, including hand line and bandit gear, and spearfishing gear without rebreathers. When fishing for or possessing snapper grouper species in federal waters of the South Atlantic, the following regulations apply: (1) Use of a dehooking tool is required. (2) The use of non-stainless steel hooks is required when using hook-and-line gear with natural baits. In waters North of 28-degrees N. latitude, the use of non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks is required when fishing for snapper grouper species using hook-and-line gear with natural baits. (3) A descending device is required on board all vessels and must be readily available for use (attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line). See below for more details.

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