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2026 State Gag Grouper Season to Open September 1 and Close October 1
Baton Rouge, - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries issued a Declaration of Emergency to modify the Gag Grouper season. The season for the recreational harvest of Gag Grouper in Louisiana state waters shall open at 12:01 a.m. on September 1, 2026, and remain open until 11:59 p.m. on September 30, 2026.
The regional administrator of NOAA Fisheries has informed the secretary that the 2026 recreational season for the harvest of Gag Grouper in the federal waters of the Gulf of America has been modified to open on September 1, 2026, and close on October 1, 2026. Compatible season regulations in state waters are often enacted to facilitate efficient enforcement of the fishery and to prevent long-term overfishing of the species.