Gag grouper are overfished in the Gulf: This new tool could help

Anglers along the Gulf Coast have long prized the hard-fighting, mild-tasting gag grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis), but some may have been surprised over the past few years by shortened seasons for this desirable reef fish. Due to concerns about the population of the species, the gag season lasted just 41 days in 2023, 15 days in 2024, and 14 days in 2025—far shorter than the six-month seasons in previous years.