Reminder of Seasonal Fishing Closure for Certain Groupers in Federal Waters around Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. John, and St. Croix, and Seasonal Closure of Grammanik Bank[...]

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What/When:

Seasonal Fishing Closure for Grouper

The seasonal closure of fishing for or possession of red, black, tiger, yellowfin, and yellowedge* grouper in federal waters around Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. John, and St. Croix begins on February 1, 2026, and extends through April 30, 2026.

• The prohibition on possession does not apply to such grouper harvested and landed on shore prior to the closure.

*This seasonal closure does not apply to yellowedge grouper in St. Croix because the species is no longer managed by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council in federal waters off St. Croix.

Seasonal Closure of Grammanik Bank, U.S. Virgin Islands

The seasonal closure of fishing for or possession of any fish species, except highly migratory species, in the Grammanik Bank area off St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (Figure 1) begins on February 1, 2026, and extends through April 30, 2026.

• The term "fish" means finfish, molluscs, crustaceans, and all other forms of marine animal and plant life other than marine mammals and birds.

The Grammanik Bank area is located south of St. Thomas and bounded by the following coordinates:

A 18°11.898' N 64°56.328' W
B 18°11.645' N 64°56.225' W
C 18°11.058' N 64°57.810' W
D 18°11.311' N 64°57.913' W

Why These Closures Are Happening:

These seasonal closures protect species when they are spawning (reproducing) and therefore more vulnerable to fishing pressure.

Sign Up For Text Message Alerts - Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures

NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery-related alerts via text message. Standard message and data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time. Text alerts you may receive include immediate fishery openings and closures and any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly.

Sign up for one or more of the fisheries-related alerts below by texting the following to 888777:

• Gulf of America Recreational: Text GULFRECFISH
• Gulf of America Commercial: Text GULFCOMMFISH
• South Atlantic Recreational: Text SATLRECFISH
• South Atlantic Commercial: Text SATLCOMMFISH
• Caribbean: Text CARIBFISH

Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office

Other contacts:

Media: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750

NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202