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Gulf Amberjack Season Shut Down Through 2026
Photo: Captain Ryan Van Fleet/Good Karma Sportfishing
The greater amberjack recreational fishery in Gulf of America federal waters officially closed at 12:01 a.m. on September 27, 2025, and won’t reopen until September 1, 2026. The year-long shutdown comes after anglers significantly exceeded last season’s harvest limits, triggering strict accountability measures designed to help the struggling species recover.
During the 2024/2025 fishing season, recreational anglers landed 882,451 pounds of greater amberjack in the Gulf. That’s 478,451 pounds over the annual catch limit of 404,000 pounds. Under federal regulations, when fishermen exceed the quota, NOAA Fisheries must reduce the following year’s limit by the exact amount of the overage.
The math is straightforward but painful for anglers. The 2025/2026 annual catch limit dropped from 404,000 pounds to zero. With no quota available, there’s no season.
Greater amberjack populations in the Gulf are in trouble. NOAA Fisheries currently classifies the stock as overfished, meaning population numbers have fallen too low. The closure is part of a broader rebuilding plan aimed at giving the species time to recover and reproduce.
Federal law requires fisheries managers to close recreational harvest when the annual catch target is met or projected to be met. In this case, the target was already reached on paper before the season even started due to the accountability measure.
Gulf anglers won’t see action like this again until fall 2026, when the greater amberjack recreational season is set to resume. Photo: William McAllister
During the closure, bag and possession limits for greater amberjack are set at zero in federal Gulf waters. That means no amberjack in your cooler, no amberjack in the livewell, and no amberjack on the line.
The ban extends beyond federal waters in certain situations. If your vessel holds a valid federal charter or headboat permit for Gulf reef fish, the zero possession limit also applies when fishing in state waters.
The hope is that a full year without recreational harvest pressure will allow greater amberjack stocks to begin rebuilding. If the population shows signs of recovery, future seasons could become more stable and sustainable.
For now, anglers targeting reef fish in the Gulf will need to focus on other species. Red snapper, grouper, and triggerfish remain options during their respective seasons, though each comes with its own regulations and limits.
The amberjack closure reminds us how quickly a fishery can change when harvest limits are exceeded. The 2026 season will depend heavily on how well the population responds to this conservation measure and whether fishing pressure can be better managed in the future.
The post Gulf Amberjack Season Shut Down Through 2026 appeared first on OutdoorHub.
Continue reading...
Gulf Amberjack Season Shut Down Through 2026
Photo: Captain Ryan Van Fleet/Good Karma Sportfishing
The greater amberjack recreational fishery in Gulf of America federal waters officially closed at 12:01 a.m. on September 27, 2025, and won’t reopen until September 1, 2026. The year-long shutdown comes after anglers significantly exceeded last season’s harvest limits, triggering strict accountability measures designed to help the struggling species recover.
During the 2024/2025 fishing season, recreational anglers landed 882,451 pounds of greater amberjack in the Gulf. That’s 478,451 pounds over the annual catch limit of 404,000 pounds. Under federal regulations, when fishermen exceed the quota, NOAA Fisheries must reduce the following year’s limit by the exact amount of the overage.
The math is straightforward but painful for anglers. The 2025/2026 annual catch limit dropped from 404,000 pounds to zero. With no quota available, there’s no season.
Greater amberjack populations in the Gulf are in trouble. NOAA Fisheries currently classifies the stock as overfished, meaning population numbers have fallen too low. The closure is part of a broader rebuilding plan aimed at giving the species time to recover and reproduce.
Federal law requires fisheries managers to close recreational harvest when the annual catch target is met or projected to be met. In this case, the target was already reached on paper before the season even started due to the accountability measure.
Gulf anglers won’t see action like this again until fall 2026, when the greater amberjack recreational season is set to resume. Photo: William McAllister
During the closure, bag and possession limits for greater amberjack are set at zero in federal Gulf waters. That means no amberjack in your cooler, no amberjack in the livewell, and no amberjack on the line.
The ban extends beyond federal waters in certain situations. If your vessel holds a valid federal charter or headboat permit for Gulf reef fish, the zero possession limit also applies when fishing in state waters.
The hope is that a full year without recreational harvest pressure will allow greater amberjack stocks to begin rebuilding. If the population shows signs of recovery, future seasons could become more stable and sustainable.
For now, anglers targeting reef fish in the Gulf will need to focus on other species. Red snapper, grouper, and triggerfish remain options during their respective seasons, though each comes with its own regulations and limits.
The amberjack closure reminds us how quickly a fishery can change when harvest limits are exceeded. The 2026 season will depend heavily on how well the population responds to this conservation measure and whether fishing pressure can be better managed in the future.
The post Gulf Amberjack Season Shut Down Through 2026 appeared first on OutdoorHub.
Continue reading...