Golden Tilefish Regulations in North Carolina (2026)

Where

Waters under the jurisdiction of North Carolina or the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (ocean)

Bag limit

It shall be unlawful to possess more than 4,000 pounds (gutted weight) of golden tilefish per trip.; For a vessel without a valid or renewable longline endorsement, it shall be unlawful to possess more than 500 pounds (gutted weight) of golden tilefish taken by hook -and- line per trip.

• It shall be unlawful to fail to use non -offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks (50 CFR Part §622.2) while fishing for or possessing snapper grouper species while using natural baits as specified in 50 CFR Part §622.188.
• It shall be unlawful to fail to possess a descending device on board which is readily available for use while fishing for or possessing snapper grouper species as specified in 50 CFR Part §622.188.
• Section XV (Golden Tilefish) of proclamation FF-46-2026 (SNAPPER GROUPER COMPLEX – COMMERCIAL – MODIFY BLACK SEA BASS POT STOWAGE REQUIREMENTS – REGULATORY AMENDMENT 36).
• It shall be unlawful to sell, offer for sale, or exceed the recreational bag limits of any species of the Snapper-Grouper complex specified in 50 CFR Part §622.187(b) unless the vessel owner has been issued a valid Federal Commercial South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Permit.
• For a vessel with both a valid Federal South Atlantic Charter/Headboat Permit for Snapper Grouper and a valid Federal Commercial South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Permit it shall be unlawful to exceed the recreational bag limits for snapper grouper species when fishing with more than four persons (including captain and mate) on board, or when carrying paying customers.
• For a vessel with both a valid Federal South Atlantic Charter/Headboat Permit for Snapper Grouper and a valid Federal Commercial South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Permit it shall be unlawful to sell or offer for sale any species of the Snapper Grouper Complex harvested when fishing with more than four persons (including captain and mate) on board or when carrying paying customers.
• It shall be unlawful to possess any species of the Snapper Grouper complex except snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, misty grouper, blueline tilefish, golden tilefish, and sand tilefish while having longline gear aboard a vessel during open harvest seasons.
• It shall be unlawful to possess any species of the snapper grouper complex without heads and fins intact as specified in 50 CFR Part §622.186.

Official source

Where

Atlantic Ocean north of the North Carolina/Virginia border (ocean)

Bag limit

It shall be unlawful for a commercial fishing operation, regardless of the number of people involved, to possess or land more than: A. 500 pounds gutted weight (with head and fins intact) of golden tilefish or, B. 50 percent, by weight of golden tilefish, of all fish (including golden tilefish) being landed, whichever is less, per trip.

• It shall be unlawful t o possess golden tilefish or blueline tilefish harvested in the Atlantic Ocean north of the North Carolina/Virginia border without a valid commercial vessel permit to fish for, possess, or land golden tilefish or blueline tilefish for a commercial purpose, in or from the Tilefish Management Unit, pursuant to 50 CFR Part § 648.4(a)(12).
• It shall be unlawful for a commercial fishing operation to possess or land golden tilefish in excess of the limits in Section II. unless they are in possession of an IFQ allocation permit, pursuant to 50 CFR Part § 648.294.
• Proclamation FF-33-2026: TILEFISH – COMMERCIAL FISHING OPERATIONS – ATLANTIC OCEAN – NORTH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER (effective 12:01 A.M., Monday, July 20, 2026).

Official source