Scup (South of Cape Hatteras) regulations in North Carolina

Porgies · Saltwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Scup (South of Cape Hatteras) has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 20.

Scup (South of Cape Hatteras) size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Atlantic Ocean south of Cape Hatteras (35° 15.0321' N) incl. federal waters	Open year-round	No size limit	20-fish aggregate per person per day; no more than 10 of listed species

Notes

South of Cape Hatteras there is no size limit; scup counts in the snapper-grouper 20-fish aggregate (max 10 of the listed species). North of Cape Hatteras: 9 inch minimum, 30 per person per day.
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.

Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: None
Limit: 20 per person per day aggregate (no more than 10 of the listed species)
Atlantic Ocean south of Cape Hatteras (35° 15.0321' N) incl. federal waters — as printed: “scup (south of Cape Hatteras, 35° 15.0321’ N. Latitude), gray triggerfish, bar jack ... within the twenty (20) fish per person per day aggregate bag limit”

Source: NC Division of Marine Fisheries, captured 2026-09-29 (2026 season).

Check your scup (south of cape hatteras) in seconds

Say it, snap a photo, or type the length. SlotGauge answers KEEP or RELEASE using today's North Carolina rules.

Open SlotGauge for Scup (South of Cape Hatteras)

More porgies

Red Porgy Other Porgies (jolthead, knobbed, whitebone, saucereye)

About the scup

Species of cartilaginous fish

The roughtail stingray is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, with separate populations in coastal waters of the northwestern and southwestern Atlantic Ocean. This bottom-dwelling species typically inhabits sandy or muddy areas with patches of invertebrate cover, at a depth of 15–50 m (49–164 ft). It is seasonally migratory, overwintering in offshore waters and moving into coastal habitats for summer. The largest whip-tail stingray in the Atlantic, the roughtail stingray grows up to 2.6 m (8.5 ft) across and 360 kg (800 lb) in weight. It is plain in color, with an angular, diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc and a long, whip-like tail bearing a subtle fin fold underneath. The many thorns on its back and tail serve to distinguish it from other stingrays that share its range.

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 Scup (South of Cape Hatteras) in North Carolina?

No size limit in North Carolina state waters.

How many Scup (South of Cape Hatteras) can you keep per day in North Carolina?

20-fish aggregate per person per day; no more than 10 of listed species.

When is Scup (South of Cape Hatteras) season in North Carolina?

Open year-round.

Is my Scup (South of Cape Hatteras) a keeper today?

Scup (South of Cape Hatteras) has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 20.