Annual Seasonal Grouper Closure
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries reminds fishermen and the public of the upcoming seasonal closure on fishing for or possession of red, black, tiger, yellowfin and yellowedge grouper in U.S. Caribbean federal waters.
- This closure begins at 12:01 a.m., local time, on Feb. 1, 2018, and extends through April 30, 2018.
- This prohibition on possession does not apply to such grouper harvested and landed on shore prior to the closure.
Fishing Prohibitions in Grammanik Bank, U.S. Virgin Islands
NOAA Fisheries reminds fishermen and the public of the upcoming seasonal closure on fishing for or possession of any fish species, except highly migratory species, in the Grammanik Bank area off St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
- This closure begins at 12:01 a.m., local time, on Feb. 1, 2018, and extends through April 30, 2018.
- The term “fish” means finfish, mollusks, crustaceans and all other forms of marine animal and plant life other than marine mammals and birds.
The Grammanik Bank area is located south of St. Thomas and bounded by the following coordinates:
A 18°11.898′ N 64°56.328′ W
B 18°11.645′ N 64°56.225′ W
C 18°11.058′ N 64°57.810′ W
D 18°11.311′ N 64°57.913′ W
A 18°11.898′ N 64°56.328′ W
Why these closures are happening.
These seasonal closures protect species when they are spawning (reproducing) and therefore are more vulnerable to fishing pressure.