Regulations by Species

Listed below are species commonly found in federal waters of the South Atlantic. Many are managed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and others are managed jointly with other Fishery Management Councils and Commissions or state fishery management agencies.
Click on the common name of each species to read a species profile that includes illustrations, biological characteristics, current regulations and/or contact information regarding the regulatory agency responsible for its management.

​

	Common Name	Species Name	Managing Agency(s)	Harvest Status
	Almaco Jack	Seriola rivoliana	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Atlantic Spadefish	Chaetodipterus faber	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Banded Rudderfish	Seriola zonata	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Bank Sea Bass	Centropristis ocyurus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Bar Jack	Caranx ruber	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Blackfin Snappper	Lutjanus buccanella	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Black Grouper	Mycteroperca bonaci	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Black Sea Bass	Centropristis striata	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Blueline Tilefish	Caulolatilus microps	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - CLOSED
	Cero	Scomberomorus regalis	SAFMC , GMFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Cobia (FL Only)	Rachycentron canadum	SAFMC , GMFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Coney	Epinephelus fulvus	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Cottonwick	Haemulon melanurum	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Cubera Snapper	Lutjanus cyanopterus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Dolphin Fish	Coryphaena hippurus	SAFMC , GMFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Gag Grouper	Mycteroperca microlepis	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Golden Crab	Chaceon fenneri	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN
	Golden Tilefish	Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps	SAFMC	Commercial - Longline Component: OPEN - Hook & Line Component: OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Goliath Grouper	Epinephelus itajara	SAFMC	NO HARVEST ALLOWED
	Graysby	Epinephelus cruentatus	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Gray Snapper	Lutjanus griseus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Gray Triggerfish	Balistes capriscus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Greater Amberjack	Seriola dumerili	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Hogfish	Lachnolaimus maximus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN (FL) - OPEN (GA-NY) Recreational -CLOSED (FL) - OPEN (GA-NC)
	Jolthead Porgy	Calamus bajonado	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	King Mackerel	Scomberomorus cavalla	SAFMC, GMFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Knobbed Porgy	Calamus nodosus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Lane Snapper	Lutjanus synagris	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Lesser Amberjack	Seriola fasciata	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Little Tunny	Euthynnus alletteratus	SAFMC , GMFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Longspine Porgy	Stenotomus caprinus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Margate	Haemulon album	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Misty grouper	Hyporthodus mystacinus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Mutton Snapper	Lutjanus analis	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Nassau Grouper	Epinephelus striatus	SAFMC	NO HARVEST ALLOWED
	Ocean Triggerfish	Canthidermis sufflamen	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Penaeid Shrimp	Litopenaeus setiferus, Farfantepenaeus duorarum, Farfantepenaeus aztecus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN
	Queen Snapper	Etelis oculatus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Red Grouper	Epinephelus morio	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Red Hind	Epinephelus guttatus	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Red Porgy	Pagrus pagrus	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - OPEN
	Red Snapper	Lutjanus campechanus	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Rock Hind	Epinephelus adscensionis	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Rock Sea Bass	Centropristis philadelphica	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Rock Shrimp	Sicyonia brevirostris	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN
	Sailors Choice	Haemulon parra	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Sand tilefish	Malacanthus plumieri	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Saucereye Porgy	Calamus calamus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Scamp	Mycteroperca phenax	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Scup	Stenotomus chrysops	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Silk Snapper	Lutjanus vivanus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Snowy grouper	Hyporthodus niveatus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - CLOSED
	Spanish Mackerel	Scomberomorus maculatus	SAFMC	Commercial - Northern Zone (NC-NY): CLOSED - Southern Zone: OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Speckled Hind	Epinephelus drummondhayi	SAFMC	NO HARVEST ALLOWED
	Spiny Lobster	Panulirus argus	SAFMC, GMFMC	Commercial - OPEN in E. FL - OPEN in GA, SC, & NC Recreational - OPEN in E. FL - OPEN in GA, SC, & NC
	Tomtate	Haemulon aurolineatum	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Vermilion Snapper	Rhomboplites aurorubens	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Wahoo	Acanthocybium solanderi	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Warsaw grouper	Hyporthodus nigritus	SAFMC	NO HARVEST ALLOWED
	Whitebone Porgy	Calamus leucosteus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	White Grunt	Haemulon plumierii	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Yellowedge Grouper	Hyporthodus flavolimbatus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN
	Wreckfish	Polyprion americanus	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Yellowfin grouper	Mycteroperca venenosa	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Yellowmouth Grouper	Mycteroperca interstilitialis	SAFMC	Commercial - CLOSED Recreational - CLOSED
	Yellowtail Snapper	Ocyrus chrysurus	SAFMC	Commercial - OPEN Recreational - OPEN