NOAA cuts Gulf grouper catch limits by 54 percent, closes recreational season from January to June
New federal rule targeting scamp and yellowmouth grouper takes effect January 1, 2027 Gulf fishermen pursuing grouper are facing the sharpest reductions in catches in recent memory. NOAA Fisheries A final rule published on June 17, 2026, cuts the allowable catch for the Gulf Other Shallow-Water Grouper Complex by 54.7 percent and locks in a