Possession of red, black, tiger, yellowfin and yellowedge grouper in the EEZ is prohibited from February 1 through April 30 of each year.
Possession of black, blackfin, vermilion and silk snapper in the EEZ is prohibited from October 1 through December 31 of each year.
Possession of mutton snapper and lane snapper in the EEZ is prohibited from April 1 through June 30 of each year.
Yellowtail snapper must twelve (12) inches total size. The yellowtail snapper must remain whole for landing at shoreline.
Red Hind – PROHIBITED from December 1st through the last day of February each year in designated areas (coordinates provided below).
Possession of or fishing for red hind is prohibited in the Caribbean EEZ off the west coast of Puerto Rico (west of 67°10' W. longitude) from December 1 through the last day of February each year.
Nassau and goliath grouper – Fishing for and possession of these species is PROHIBITED.
Other Restrictions
Prohibition on the filleting of fish at sea in the EEZ and requirement that fish captured or possessed in the EEZ be landed with heads and fins intact, with minor exceptions.
Requirement that gill nets used to fish for bait fish in the EEZ be tended at all times.
Closure of the Grammanik Bank to fishing for or possession of any species of fish, except highly migratory species, from February 1 through April 30 of each year.
Requirement to have an anchor retrieval system for all vessels that fish for or possess Caribbean reef fish species in or from the EEZ.
Use of poisons, drugs, or other chemicals and explosives is PROHIBITED.
Please Note: This summary is intended to provide appropriate information to fishers about regulations and the sustainable use of marine fishery resources in the Caribbean. This summary is for general information purposes. Fishery Regulations are subject to changes. For more information on fishery regulations consult the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 622 or the NOAA Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office Fishery Regulation website.
