Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) —  NOAA Fisheries has set the 2026 recreational greater amberjack season in federal waters in the Gulf. It announced the opening and closing dates. Size and daily limits remain the same. The agency also outlined rules for the closure.

The season will open September 1, 2026, and run until 12:01 a.m. local time on October 14, 2026. That makes a 43-day season, up from 26 days in 2025.

Anglers may keep one fish per person per day, with a minimum size of 34 inches fork length. Recreational harvest will close on October 14, 2026, and remain closed until the 2027/2028 season begins on September 1, 2027.

NOAA Fisheries set a 2026/2027 annual catch limit of 404,000 lb and an annual catch target of 335,320 lb. The agency said the harvest is closed when the recreational annual catch target is met or projected to be met.

NOAA Fisheries said it closes harvest when the recreational annual catch target has been met or is projected to be met. The agency said it used available recreational landings data to estimate when the target would be reached.

Based on available recreational landings, NOAA Fisheries projects that the target will be met on October 14. The agency said the action is needed to protect the Gulf's greater amberjack population, which is considered overfished.

During the recreational closure, bag and possession limits for greater amberjack in or from federal waters of the Gulf are zero. The possession ban also applies in Gulf state waters to vessels with federal charter vessel or headboat permits.

NOAA Fisheries said the bulletin is a summary of existing rules. Full regulations are listed in the Code of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR part 622 and are available here: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622/subpart-B/.