Goliath Grouper

Goliath Grouper Fishing in Florida

Goliath grouper can reach 800 pounds and over 8 feet in length. Harvest was prohibited in 1990, and FWC now awards 200 harvest permits a year by random-draw lottery, each allowing one fish from 24 to 36 inches total length.

Florida rules from FWC, checked Sep 2026

Check before you keep a fish. Seasons and limits change, sometimes in the middle of a season, and a court or an agency can change them overnight. Everything here was copied from FWC in Sep 2026 and is listed with its source at the bottom of this page. We are not a regulatory authority. Confirm the current rule with your captain or with FWC before you keep a fish.

Florida state record

  • 680.00 lb Fernandina Beach · May 20, 1961 · Lynn Joyner

From FWC Florida Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle), checked Sep 2026. Records are certified by FWC and can be broken at any time.

About the fish

SizeUp to 8 feet and 800 pounds
Where it livesCoastal and nearshore waters around natural and man-made structures, or muddy bottoms. Young often in estuaries, especially around mangroves
What it eatsSlow-moving bottom species. Calico crabs make up most of the diet

FWC says their lifespan is thought to be 30 to 50 years.

From FWC's species profile, checked Sep 2026.

Which rules apply to your trip

  • Harvest is prohibited without a permit, and permits are awarded by a random-draw lottery.
  • Applications run October 1 to 15 each year, and the harvest period runs March 1 through May 31. The application costs $10, and a drawn permit and tag cost $150 for verified Florida residents or $500 for non-residents.
  • Even with a permit, harvest is closed from Martin County south through the Atlantic side of the Keys, in the St. Lucie River, in Dry Tortugas National Park and in all federal waters.
  • A permit holder tags the fish on the lower jaw straight away and reports the harvest within 24 hours.

Open state waters, with a lottery permit: when you can keep one

Florida state waters, except the closed area below.

  • Permit and tag holdersOpen March 1 to May 31FWC's limited harvest programme.
  • Everyone elseHarvest closed all yearFWC: harvest is prohibited without a permit.
24 to 36 inches total lengthSize limit
1 fish per person during the open season, with permit and tagDaily limit. 200 permits available each year. Category I permits allow harvest in all open areas including Everglades National Park; Category II permits exclude Everglades National Park.

Closed area: when you can keep one

State waters from Martin County south through the Atlantic coast of the Keys, the St. Lucie River and its tributaries, Dry Tortugas National Park, and all federal waters.

  • All anglersHarvest closed all yearFWC.
No harvestSize limit
No harvestDaily limit. Closed even to permit holders.

Gear rules

Hook and line only, with non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks when using natural bait, and a dehooking device must be carried and used when releasing any goliath that is not harvested.

Questions about goliath grouper

Can I keep a goliath grouper?

Only with a lottery permit. FWC states harvest is prohibited without one.

How do I get a permit?

Apply between October 1 and 15 through GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. The application costs $10, and a drawn permit costs $150 for residents or $500 for non-residents.

What size can a permit holder keep?

24 to 36 inches total length, one fish, during the March to May season.

Where is harvest closed?

From Martin County south through the Atlantic coast of the Keys, the St. Lucie River, Dry Tortugas National Park and all federal waters.

Seasons, sizes and bag limits on this page were copied from FWC, goliath grouper regulations and FWC, goliath grouper harvest permit and FWC, goliath grouper profile in Sep 2026. Rules change, sometimes mid-season. Check the current rule with your captain or FWC before you keep a fish.