Regulations

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is responsible for the conservation and management of many species found in federal waters in the South Atlantic region. Federal fishing regulations are complex and change regularly based on new management measures and as fisheries open and close once annual catch limits have been reached.

Regulations summarized on the SAFMC website are only intended to serve as a guide to recreational and commercial fishing regulations for federally regulated species. The website does not contain the official compilation of the regulations. The Code of Federal Regulations is the official legal print publication containing the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by agencies of the Federal Government. The Code of Federal Regulations is available online and from the Office of the Federal Register. The SAFMC assumes no liability for any errors that occur as a result of the regulations summarized on its website.

Resources

• Fishing Seasonal Closures
• Fish Rules Apps (Recreational and Commercial)

Note: Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (sharks, tunas, and billfish) are managed by NOAA Fisheries. Additional information is available from the NOAA Fisheries website.