South Atlantic Blueline Tilefish
Recreational anglers fishing federal waters off the South Atlantic coast — North Carolina through the Florida east coast — lost blueline tilefish as of 12:01 a.m. local time on September 1, 2026. The bag and possession limit drops to zero and stays there until the season reopens next May.
What happened
NOAA Fisheries closed the South Atlantic recreational blueline tilefish season on schedule this week, per its May 18, 2026 fishery bulletin (FB26-023). Under the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, the recreational season runs a fixed window every year — opening May 1, closing September 1 — unless the annual catch limit is projected to be caught first, in which case NOAA closes it early.
That wasn't the case in 2026: NOAA Fisheries projected anglers would not reach the 2026 recreational catch limit of 116,820 pounds whole weight before the fixed date arrived, so the season ran the full four months and closed right on schedule.
The regulations, while it was open
During the May 1–September 1 season, the recreational bag limit was two blueline tilefish per person per day, with no minimum size limit. Captains and crew fishing as part of a charter or headboat operation were barred from retaining any blueline tilefish for themselves. Anyone fishing for snapper-grouper species in South Atlantic federal waters — blueline tilefish included — is required to carry a descending device on board, a rule that stays in effect year-round regardless of season.
What's next
The recreational fishery is now closed through December 31, 2026, and will stay closed through April 2027 as well, per the plan's standard January 1–April 30 closure window. It's scheduled to reopen May 1, 2027, unless NOAA Fisheries announces otherwise before then. Commercial blueline tilefish fishing in the South Atlantic operates on a separate schedule with its own quota and closures, and is not affected by this recreational closure.
Bottom line for anglers
If you're fishing South Atlantic federal waters this fall and winter, blueline tilefish need to go back — zero bag and possession limit applies regardless of size. Keep a working descending device on board regardless of target species, since that requirement doesn't turn off with the season.
Sources NOAA Fisheries: Recreational Blueline Tilefish Season in South Atlantic Federal Waters Will Remain Open until September 1, 2026 (FB26-023, May 18, 2026) Federal Register: Fisheries of the South Atlantic; 2026 Recreational Fishing Season Announcement for Blueline Tilefish in the South Atlantic NOAA Fisheries: Commercial Closure for Blueline Tilefish in South Atlantic Federal Waters on August 24, 2026 (for commercial-side context)