SlotGaugeCheck a catchGray Triggerfish regulations in North Carolina
Triggerfish · Saltwater · 2026 season
Gray Triggerfish size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC coastal waters (to 3 mi) | Open year-round | 12 inch minimum | 20-fish aggregate per person per day; no more than 10 of listed species |
| Federal waters (3–200 mi, SAFMC) | Open year-round | 12 inch minimum | 20-fish aggregate per person per day; no more than 10 of listed species |
Notes
- Counts toward the 20-fish per person per day aggregate; no more than 10 of the aggregate may be whitebone, jolthead, knobbed or saucereye porgy, scup (south of Cape Hatteras), gray triggerfish, bar jack, almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack, white grunt, margate, sailor's choice or spadefish combined.
- 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
- Open year-round
- Size
- 12 inches fork length
- Limit
- 20 per person per day aggregate (no more than 10 of the listed species)
- NC coastal waters (to 3 mi) — as printed
- “It shall be unlawful to possess gray triggerfish less than 12 inches fork length and is subject to the bag limits in Section XVII. C.”
Source: NC Division of Marine Fisheries, captured 2026-09-29 (2026 season).
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Open SlotGauge for Gray TriggerfishAbout the gray triggerfish
Species of fish
The grey triggerfish, or gray triggerfish, is a species of ray-finned fish in the triggerfish family Balistidae. The species is native to shallow parts of the western Atlantic from Nova Scotia to Argentina and also the eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and waters off Angola on the west coast of Africa.
Read more about Grey triggerfish 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 Gray Triggerfish in North Carolina?
12 inch minimum in North Carolina state waters.
How many Gray Triggerfish can you keep per day in North Carolina?
20-fish aggregate per person per day; no more than 10 of listed species.
When is Gray Triggerfish season in North Carolina?
Open year-round.
Is my Gray Triggerfish a keeper today?
A gray triggerfish is a keeper today if it measures at least 12 inches, with a daily limit of 20.