SlotGaugeCheck a catchBlack Grouper regulations in North Carolina
Groupers · Saltwater · 2026 season
Black Grouper size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC coastal waters (to 3 mi) | May 1 – December 31 | 24 inch minimum | 1 per person per day (gag or black grouper, not both); 2 gag/black combined per private vessel per day; for-hire 2 per vessel per trip |
| Federal waters (3–200 mi, SAFMC) | May 1 – December 31 | 24 inch minimum | 1 per person per day (gag or black grouper, not both); 2 gag/black combined per private vessel per day; for-hire 2 per vessel per trip |
Notes
- Closed Jan 1 – Apr 30 (shallow-water grouper closure).
- Only one gag OR one black grouper per person, and no more than two gag/black combined on a private boat per day (two per trip on a charter/headboat). For-hire captains and crew may not keep them.
- Counts toward the 3-fish grouper/tilefish aggregate per person per day (gag, black, snowy, misty, red, rock hind, red hind, coney, graysby, yellowedge, yellowfin, scamp, yellowmouth, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, sand tilefish).
- Snapper-grouper gear rules: non-offset, non-stainless circle hooks with natural bait; a dehooking tool and a descending device (16 oz weight, 60 ft line) must be on board; fish must be landed with heads and fins intact.
- Federal rules apply in both state and SAFMC waters; seasons can close early when catch limits are met — check safmc.net/regulations.
Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording
- Season
- May 1 – December 31
- Size
- 24 inches total length
- Limit
- 1 per person per day (gag or black grouper, not both); 2 gag/black grouper combined per private vessel per day; 2 per for-hire vessel per trip
- NC coastal waters (to 3 mi) — as printed
- “It shall be unlawful to possess black grouper or gag grouper less than 24 inches total length. ... except from May 1 through December 31 each year: gag grouper, black grouper, rock hind, red hind, coney, graysby, yellowfin grouper, scamp and yellowmouth grouper.”
Source: NC Division of Marine Fisheries, captured 2026-09-29 (2026 season).
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About the black grouper
Species of fish
Mycteroperca bonaci, the black grouper, black rockfish or marbled rockfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. Other fish are sometimes called the black grouper including the similar gag grouper, the misty grouper, and the warsaw grouper. This species is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from the northeastern United States to Brazil.
Read more about Mycteroperca bonaci on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NC Division of Marine Fisheries, not Wikipedia.
All 120 North Carolina species A–Z →
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Black Grouper in North Carolina?
24 inch minimum in North Carolina state waters.
How many Black Grouper can you keep per day in North Carolina?
1 per person per day (gag or black grouper, not both); 2 gag/black combined per private vessel per day; for-hire 2 per vessel per trip.
When is Black Grouper season in North Carolina?
May 1 – December 31.
Is my Black Grouper a keeper today?
A black grouper is a keeper today if it measures at least 24 inches, with a daily limit of 1.