Southeast | NOAA Fisheries

Southeast | NOAA Fisheries Southeast Southeast Southeast Fisheries Management and Marine Life Protection Learn about NOAA Fisheries' work in the southeastern United States, Gulf of America, and Caribbean Sea. The southeastern United States is home to the largest concentration of saltwater recreational fishing in America. Whether seeking iconic fish to catch for sport or for sustenance, recreational fishing in the Southeast generates more than $15 billion in sales annually. More than 4.5 million fishermen take more than 36 million fishing trips here every year. The commercial fishery represents the second largest by volume in the United States and the third largest by landings revenue. Covering a vast area from Texas to North Carolina and the U.S. Caribbean, the Southeast has the largest wetland acreage and the largest coral reef track in the contiguous United States. It provides the only known calving grounds for the highly endangered North Atlantic Right Whale . Right whales travel here in the fall to give birth off the eastern coast of Florida. Right whales aren’t alone though— bottlenose dolphins sea turtles , a variety of corals sawfish Rice's whales manta rays , and Gulf shortnose , and Atlantic sturgeon are also residents of our region. This variety creates unique viewing opportunities, experiences, and even challenges for those living in and visiting our region. Together, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office and Southeast Fisheries Science Center work to protect our marine life and their habitat , offering sound science to help inform management decisions in an ever-changing environment. Sign up to receive our Southeast Fishery Bulletins for information about upcoming and current fishing regulations More Information Fishing in the Southeast (Caribbean, Gulf of America, South Atlantic) Permits Funding Opportunities Fishery Bulletins Southeast Regional Office Southeast Fisheries Science Center Disaster Response Services @NOAAFisheriesSE NOAA Fisheries noaafisheriessoutheast Featured News Feature Story Restoration of Florida’s Robinson Preserve Benefits Fish, Visitors, and Local Economy Southeast Feature Story Western Atlantic Provides Refuge for Bluefin Tuna New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast Feature Story Celebrating our Top Taggers for Citizen Science Month New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast Leadership Message 50 Years of Innovation and Leadership: Celebrating the Magnuson-Stevens Act Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National International Feature Story Rebuilding a Louisiana Bayou: Upper Barataria Restoration Southeast View More News Notices & Rules Fisheries Proposed Rule: Pelagic and Demersal Indicator Species Regulations for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast Protected Resources Incidental Take Permit to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Southeast Southeast Fisheries Electronic Monitoring Vendor Certification for Pelagic Longline Monitoring Areas New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast Protected Resources Amendments to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast National New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast National Fisheries Amendment 17 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan: Essential Fish Habitat New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast More Fisheries Notices & Rules More Protected Resources Regs & Actions Upcoming Events Gulf Restoration Live! Technical Diving for Restoration May 6, 2026 Southeast May 2026 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel Meeting May 12, 2026 - May 14, 2026 New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast More Events Bulletins NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on an Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit to Collect Red Snapper for Aquaculture Research Southeast Southeast NOAA Fisheries Announces a 93-day 2026 Recreational Fishing Season for Gag in the South Atlantic Region Southeast Southeast Southeast Permits Office Accepting Expired or Un-Issued Certificates of Documentation on Permit Applications Southeast Southeast Request for Comments on Amendment 62: Modifications to Gulf of America Red Grouper Management Measures Southeast Southeast NOAA Fisheries Announces the 2026 Gulf of America Red Snapper Recreational Federal For-Hire Season Southeast Southeast More Bulletins Open Funding Opportunities Fiscal Year 2024–2026: Broad Agency Announcement National National NOAA Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico) Watershed Education and Training (Gulf B-WET) Program Southeast Southeast Species Recovery Grants to States Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National More Opportunities Featured Highlights Off to Market: Buying and Selling Individual Fishing Quota Southeast A complete necropsy of a minke whale on Blakely Island, Washington. The necropsy revealed injuries—including severe bruising and broken ribs and vertebrae—consistent with a vessel strike. Credit: The Whale Museum 2022 and 2023 Combined Report of Marine Mammal Strandings in the United States Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National GulfCorps Member Alexis Powell prepares to work on a habitat restoration project. Credit: Alexis Powell Restoring Habitat, Bolstering the Economy, and Supporting Jobs in Florida Southeast Barotrauma expands gasses in a fish causing the air bladder and other organs to expand as well, making it difficult for fish to swim after release. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Florida SeaGrant. Return 'Em Right: Empowering Anglers to Save Fish from Barotrauma Southeast Science in the Southeast Southeast Marine Life and Ecosystem Science The Southeast Fisheries Science Center supports the sustainable management and conservation of marine life. Find scientific reports and research program information. Our scientists at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center produce data, information, and advice that serves as a foundation of knowledge upon which living marine resource managers in the southeastern United States depend. Our science is used to make informed decisions for maintaining healthy marine ecosystems, productive and sustainable fisheries, restoring depleted populations and damaged habitats, and recovering populations of protected, threatened, and endangered species. Research Areas Science Surveys and Research Social Science Reef Ecology Habitat Focus Area Fish Age and Growth Shrimp Fishery Research Sea Turtle Assessment Research Projects Fisheries Monitoring Shark and Sawfish Shark Population Assessment Sustainable Fisheries Pelagic Observer Program Shark Bottom Longline Observer Program Gulf Reef Fish and Shrimp Observer Program Gillnet Observer Program Economic Data Collections Resources Forms and Logbooks Southeast Data Assessment and Review Library Resources Cooperative Tagging Center Outreach and Education Internships More Information National Overview: Science & Data Southeast Fisheries Science Center Science News & Blogs Feature Story Western Atlantic Provides Refuge for Bluefin Tuna Feature Story New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast Atlantic bluefin tuna. Credit: Tag A Giant Leadership Message 50 Years of Innovation and Leadership: Celebrating the Magnuson-Stevens Act Leadership Message Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National International Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National International U.S. Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Warren Magnuson (D-WA), 1973. Feature Story New Research Reveals Broad Spawning Distribution for Bluefin Tuna Feature Story New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast A map of the proposed spawning patterns of Atlantic bluefin tuna in the western Atlantic Ocean. The sampling effort by region directed at adult and larval bluefin tuna is also noted. Credit: Progress in Oceanography Feature Story Recreational Anglers Help Boost Bluefin Tuna Research Feature Story Southeast Southeast Brian (left) and Peter (right) Bacon have tagged 273 bluefin tuna during their time in NOAA’s tagging program. Photo courtesy of Brian and Peter Bacon. Feature Story Three-Dimensional Acoustic Tracking Sheds Light on Beaked Whale Dive Behavior and Acoustic Detection Feature Story Southeast Southeast Devices used to record underwater sounds. Credit: Marine Bioacoustics Research Collaborative, Scripps Institution of Oceanography More News Fishing in the Southeast Southeast Commercial and Recreational Fishing Resources Find permits, reporting forms, rules, and regulations for commercial and recreational fisheries in the Southeast region. The southeastern United States is home to the largest concentration of saltwater recreational fishing in America. Recreational fishing in the Southeast generates more than $15 billion in annual sales for more than 4.5 million fishermen on more than 36 million fishing trips each year. NOAA Fisheries Southeast manages fisheries in three areas: Caribbean Gulf of America* (formerly Gulf of Mexico) , and South Atlantic . The three Fishery Management Councils ( Caribbean Gulf , and the South Atlantic ) recommend regulatory actions for their region to NOAA Fisheries in order to manage federal waters from North Carolina through Texas, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. With the fishery management councils for each region, NOAA Fisheries uses the best scientific information available to manage and conserve marine fishery resources. Our main objective is to maintain fish stocks important to commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries for long-term economic and social benefits to the nation. *Executive Order 14172, “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” (Jan. 20, 2025), directs that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America. On August 7, 2025, NOAA Fisheries and the National Ocean Service amended regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect the renaming. The name change did not result in any changes to, and had no effect on the applicability or enforceability of, any existing regulations. This website continues to use “Gulf of Mexico” when quoting statutes or previously published materials. Fishery Management Areas & Resources Caribbean Gulf of America South Atlantic Limited Access Privilege Programs/Data Management Social Science and Economics Other Fishing and Seafood in the Southeast Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Marine Aquaculture Other Fishing Resources Letters of Acknowledgement and Exempted Fishing Permits Maps and GIS Recreational Fishing Sea Turtle and Sawfish Release Gear and TEDs SEDAR Stock Assessments Rules and Regulations Current Rulemaking Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) Fishing Regulations and Closures - Gulf of America Fishing Regulations and Closures - South Atlantic Fishery Management Plans Magnuson-Stevens Act More Information National Overview: Sustainable Fisheries Annual Catch Limits, Individual Fishing Quotas, Landings Monitoring For-Hire Electronic Reporting Permits Sign up to Receive Fishery Bulletins Contact Sustainable Fisheries Advanced Fishery Management Efforts Fisheries News NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on an Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit to Collect Red Snapper for Aquaculture Research Southeast Southeast NOAA Fisheries Announces a 93-day 2026 Recreational Fishing Season for Gag in the South Atlantic Region Southeast Southeast Southeast Permits Office Accepting Expired or Un-Issued Certificates of Documentation on Permit Applications Southeast Southeast Request for Comments on Amendment 62: Modifications to Gulf of America Red Grouper Management Measures Southeast Southeast NOAA Fisheries Announces the 2026 Gulf of America Red Snapper Recreational Federal For-Hire Season Southeast Southeast More News Protected Marine Life in the Southeast Southeast Marine Life Conservation and Recovery Resources We protect, conserve, and manage protected marine mammals, fish, invertebrates, and sea turtles. Find information on our protected species programs in the Southeast. Through policy, management, and public outreach, we strive to ensure the recovery and survival of protected marine species for future generations in the waters of the southeastern United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We implement the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act to protect marine mammals like bottlenose dolphins and endangered species such as sea turtles and sawfish. Species Conservation Corals Sea Turtles Whales Dolphins and Porpoises Fish, Sharks, and Rays Section 7 Consultations About Consultations in the Southeast Consultation Guidance Expedited Consultation Emergency Consultation List of Threatened and Endangered Species and Critical Habitat Marine Mammal Protection North Atlantic Right Whales Rice's Whales Bottlenose Dolphins Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Team Atlantic Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Team Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Marine Mammal Authorization Program Guidance and Regulatory Actions in the Southeast Regulations, Policies, & Guidance Marine Mammal Protection Act Rules and Notices MMPA—Open for Comment Endangered Species Act Rules and Notices ESA—Open for Comment More Information National Overview: Protecting Marine Life Report Sightings and Injured or Stranded Marine Animals Marine Life Viewing Guidelines GIS and Maps Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) Grants and Funding Opportunities Education and Outreach Protected Species Educational Signs Marine Life News Feature Story Seal and Sea Lion Week Feature Story Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National Seal & Sea Lion Week is March 23–27, 2026. Feature Story The Ocean’s Underwater Ears: Tracking North Atlantic Right Whales Using Sound Feature Story Southeast Southeast Right whale #1515 “Ghost” was sighted with a calf on January 30, 2026, just offshore of Flagler Beach, Florida. Ghost is at least 41 years old, and this is her ninth calf. Credit: Marineland Right Whale Project/Jeff Greene (Permit # 26562) Feature Story Messaging Mariners in Real Time to Reduce North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strikes Feature Story New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast North Atlantic right whale #4150 “Accordion” and her first calf swimming close to the shipping lanes at the entrance to the Port of New York and New Jersey. Accordion is named for the propeller scars on her back that resemble the musical instrument. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Tim Cole, taken under NOAA permit #27066. Feature Story Three-Dimensional Acoustic Tracking Sheds Light on Beaked Whale Dive Behavior and Acoustic Detection Feature Story Southeast Southeast Devices used to record underwater sounds. Credit: Marine Bioacoustics Research Collaborative, Scripps Institution of Oceanography Feature Story Gearing Up: Turtle Excluder Devices Strengthen Fisheries and Help Recover Sea Turtle Populations Feature Story Southeast Southeast A sea turtle escaping from a turtle excluder device. TEDs are metal grids placed in trawl nets to direct turtles out through escape openings. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Dan Foster More News Habitat Conservation in the Southeast Southeast Habitat Conservation and Restoration Resources We conserve Southeast habitats to boost fish populations, recover threatened and endangered species, and support communities. Find information on our programs. Our habitat conservation efforts center around protecting, conserving, restoring, and creating habitats and ecosystems vital to maintaining sustainable populations of recreationally and commercially important fisheries and the recovery of threatened and endangered species. Working with state and federal regulatory and permitting programs, we attempt to minimize the loss of coastal waters and wetlands while successfully enhancing and restoring fishery habitats and accommodating sustainable development. Regulatory programs do not address the full spectrum of conservation challenges nor do they provide all the tools needed for comprehensive habitat conservation. We also participate in a variety of programs to enhance, restore, and create fishery habitats across the southeastern United States. Partnerships are important for protecting and conserving aquatic habitat while continuing to provide ecological and economic benefits. New conservation challenges (e.g., climate change, prolonged droughts, and population growth) require engagement from the broader stewardship community. We work with a variety of partnership entities comprising various federal, state, local, private, and non-profit groups Habitat Conservation Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Emergency EFH Consultations in the Southeast Habitat Restoration Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act Habitat Partnerships Partnerships in the Southeast Frequently Asked Who do I contact? More Information National Overview: Habitat Conservation EFH Consultations in the Southeast Habitat Restoration in the Southeast Habitat Partnerships in the Southeast Habitat News Feature Story Restoration of Florida’s Robinson Preserve Benefits Fish, Visitors, and Local Economy Feature Story Southeast Southeast Aerial view of the Robinson Preserve habitat restoration project. Credit: Manatee County and E.T. MacKenzie, Inc. Leadership Message 50 Years of Innovation and Leadership: Celebrating the Magnuson-Stevens Act Leadership Message Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National International Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National International U.S. Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Warren Magnuson (D-WA), 1973. Feature Story Rebuilding a Louisiana Bayou: Upper Barataria Restoration Feature Story Southeast Southeast Coastal Ecologists Erin Kiskaddon and Jacob Oster sift through the marsh’s sediment, collecting key species to monitor the health of the newly created wetland habitat. Credit: The Water Institute Feature Story Restoring the Indian River Lagoon’s Seagrass Meadows and Wetlands Feature Story Southeast Southeast Recovering seagrass meadows in the Indian River Lagoon. Credit: Lorae Simpson/Indian River Lagoon Council Feature Story Restoration Innovation on the Indian River Lagoon: Spartan Reefs, Super Clams, and More Feature Story Southeast Southeast Juvenile “super clams” ready for dispersal in the Indian River Lagoon. Credit: Indian River Lagoon Council More News Featured Species in the Southeast Southeast Managed and Protected Marine Species Find a list of federally managed or protected fish, invertebrates, sea turtles, and mammals in the Southeast region. Covering a vast area from Texas to North Carolina and the U.S. Caribbean, the Southeast has the largest wetland acreage and the largest coral reef track in the contiguous United States and provides the only known calving grounds for the highly endangered North Atlantic Right Whale . Right whales travel here in the fall to give birth off the eastern coast of Florida. Right whales aren’t alone though—bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles, a variety of corals sawfish Bryde's whales manta rays and Gulf shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon are also residents of our region. This variety creates unique viewing opportunities, experiences, and even challenges for those living in and visiting our region. North Atlantic Right Whale Giant Manta Ray Elkhorn Coral Loggerhead Turtle Smalltooth Sawfish Atlantic Sturgeon Staghorn Coral Nassau Grouper Common Bottlenose Dolphin Rice's Whale Kemp's Ridley Turtle Queen Conch View All Species News Feature Story Restoration of Florida’s Robinson Preserve Benefits Fish, Visitors, and Local Economy Feature Story Southeast Southeast Aerial view of the Robinson Preserve habitat restoration project. Credit: Manatee County and E.T. MacKenzie, Inc. Feature Story Western Atlantic Provides Refuge for Bluefin Tuna Feature Story New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast Atlantic bluefin tuna. Credit: Tag A Giant Feature Story Celebrating our Top Taggers for Citizen Science Month Feature Story New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast A white marlin tagged with a spaghetti tag, getting ready to be released. Photo courtesy of Chris Jobes. Feature Story Rebuilding a Louisiana Bayou: Upper Barataria Restoration Feature Story Southeast Southeast Coastal Ecologists Erin Kiskaddon and Jacob Oster sift through the marsh’s sediment, collecting key species to monitor the health of the newly created wetland habitat. Credit: The Water Institute Feature Story NOAA Fisheries Halts and Removes Illegal Tuna Imports From United States Feature Story Southeast Southeast More News