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Atlantic
Coast
waters reopen for recreational grouper
fishing April 30
The four-month closure of fishing for
shallow water groupers in federal waters off
Atlantic Coast states from North Carolina
through Florida will end at midnight on
April 30th.
The closure is one of the methods the
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
employs to end overfishing for gag grouper,
reduce overfishing for red and black
grouper, and improve the status of all
shallow water grouper species. Several
species, such as gag grouper, are
particularly vulnerable during late winter
when they form spawning aggregations.
Species affected by the closure include: gag
grouper, black grouper, red grouper, scamp,
red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth grouper,
tiger grouper, yellowfin grouper, graysby
and coney.
For a complete listing of federal
regulatory measures affecting the
snapper-grouper fishery contact the South
Atlantic Fishery Management Council at (866)
SAFMC-10 or visit their website at
www.safmc.net
Anglers reminded of regulation change for
recreational marine bottom fishing
The S.C. Department of Natural
Resources, in cooperation with the South
Atlantic Fishery Management Council, reminds
anglers of several changes in recreational
marine bottom fishing regulations.
Check the S.C. Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) Web site for complete
saltwater regulations:
www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/saltwaterregs.html.
The following is an abbreviated list
of commonly caught species:
* Vermillion Snapper
Open Season: April 1 - Dec. 31
Possession Limit: 5/person/day;
excluded from 10 snapper/person/day limit
Size Limit: 12" min.
* Red Snapper
Possession prohibited through June 2,
2010 and may be extended 186 days
* Gag grouper
Open Season: May 1 - Dec. 31
Possession Limit: No more than 1
person/day; included in 3 grouper/person/day
limit
Size Limit: 24" min.
* Scamp, Red & Yellowmouth grouper
Open Season: May 1 - Dec. 31
Possession Limit: Included in 3
grouper/ person/day limit
Size Limit: 20" min.
* Coney, Grasby, Red and Rock Hind
Open Season: May 1 - Dec. 31
Possession Limit: Included in 3
grouper/ person/day limit
Size Limit: None
* Warsaw & Speckled Hind
No Closed Season
Possession Limit: Included in 3
grouper/ person/day limit; no more than 1
per vessel per trip; may not be sold or
traded; no transfer at sea
Size Limit: None
Please note possession of a dehooking
device is required when fishing for
snapper/grouper species. Sale of snapper
grouper under recreational bag limit is
prohibited unless the vessel owner has a
Federal Commercial Snapper Grouper permit
and applicable South Carolina
commercial licenses.
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