---
kind: "section"
citation: "50 C.F.R. § 622.187"
title: "50"
number: "622.187"
heading: "Bag and possession limits."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/50/622.187"
---

# §622.187. Bag and possession limits.

- (a) **Additional applicability provisions for South Atlantic snapper-grouper.** [Section 622.11(a)](/cfr/50/622.11.md?p=a) provides the general applicability for bag and possession limits. However, [§ 622.11(a)](/cfr/50/622.11.md?p=a) notwithstanding:
  - (1) The bag and other limits specified in [§ 622.182(b)](/cfr/50/622.182.md?p=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)](#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)](/cfr/50/622.182.md?p=a-1-xii..a-1-xviii) or [(a)(1)(xl) through (a)(1)(li)](/cfr/50/622.182.md?p=a-1-xl..a-1-li).
  - (3) In the South Atlantic EEZ, a vessel that lawfully harvests snapper-grouper in Bahamian waters, as per [§ 622.186 (b)](/cfr/50/622.186.md?p=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)](#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)](#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)](#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)](#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;
    - (iv) 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; and
    - (v) No more than one fish may be a scamp or a yellowmouth grouper, combined.
    - (vi) 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)](/cfr/50/622.181.md?p=b-2) for the prohibitions on harvest or possession of red snapper, except during a limited recreational fishing season, and [§ 622.181(c)(1)](/cfr/50/622.181.md?p=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 2 of appendix A of this part), and those specified in [paragraphs (b)(1) through (7)](#b-1..b-7) and paragraphs [(b)(9)](#b-9) and [(10)](#b-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)](#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)](#b), and to zero for all other South Atlantic snapper-grouper. For the purposes of this [paragraph (b)(11)](#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.

## Notes

### Amendments

[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; 91 FR 8386, Feb. 23, 2026; 91 FR 33672, June 4, 2026]

### Authority

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

### Source

Source: 78 FR 22952, Apr. 17, 2013, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[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; 91 FR 8386, Feb. 23, 2026; 91 FR 33672, June 4, 2026]