Florida Set 2026 Gulf State Amberjack Season to Match Federal Season Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order at its August meeting in Panama City to align the Greater Amberjack season in the Gulf state waters with the season in federal waters.

A smiling angler posing for a photo with an Amberjack he caught deep sea fishing off the coast of Marco Island.

The Gulf state waters will open on September 1, 2026 and the season will run through October 13, 2026, closing on October 14. This decision keeps Florida’s state season lined up with NOAA’s federal season. Here’s what anglers need to know before heading out.

What’s Changing in Florida’s Gulf Waters

The FWC’s executive order sets the 2026 recreational Greater Amberjack season in Gulf state waters to open September 1. The season officially ends on October 14. That gives Florida anglers the same 43-day window NOAA already announced for adjacent federal waters.

Florida’s Gulf state waters extend nine nautical miles from shore, compared with three nautical miles on Florida’s Atlantic coast. So, this rule covers a substantial stretch of water before federal regulations take over.

Besides season changes, other recreational regulations for Greater Amberjack in the Gulf remain the same:

  • Bag limit: 1 fish per person per day
  • Minimum size: 34″ fork length
  • Season: September 1 to October 13, 2026

Why Florida Matched the Federal Season

According to the FWC, consistent state and federal seasons for Greater Amberjack in the Gulf are intended to prevent quota overages and help the stock continue to rebuild. The alignment follows NOAA’s federal season announcement, which set the 2026/2027 season at 43 days. This is a significant improvement from 2025, when we only had 26 days.

What Anglers Should Know

If you plan to fish for Greater Amberjack, or other specific reef fish species, from a private recreational vessel, you’ll need the State Reef Fish Angler Designation, which requires free annual renewal. Signing up also means you could be selected for the mail survey. It’s the part of the State Reef Fish Survey, and data from it will be factored directly into future Greater Amberjack management decisions.

For a state-by-state breakdown of Amberjack regulations, check out our Amberjack season guide for the US.

Are you planning a Gulf Amberjack trip for September? Hit the comment button below and let us know.

The post Florida Set 2026 Gulf State Amberjack Season to Match Federal Season appeared first on FishingBooker Blog.

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