The Gulf Council will meet at The Battle House Renaissance in Mobile, Alabama. The three-day Council meeting will be held from April 7 - 9, 2026.
Public comment will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026, from 8:40 AM – 12:00 PM CDT. The Council welcomes public comment from both in-person and virtual participants. Instructions on how to join both sessions and provide comment will be located on the meetings materials webpage as soon as it's available.
During this meeting, the Council plans to take final action on two issues. First, an Abbreviated Framework Action to increase lane snapper catch limits. Second, an Abbreviated Framework Action to provide National Marine Fisheries Service with a mechanism to set aside a portion of the red grouper commercial quota increase starting in 2027. This action will contribute to the timely implementation of Reef Fish Amendment 63 which considers creating a 3-year pilot quota pool to improve access to red grouper allocation by fisherman engaged in the commercial harvest of red grouper.
The Council will also review shrimp stock assessments and the 2026 Texas Shrimp Closure. The Council will hear a presentation on NOAA's Division of Highly Migratory Species Proposed Rule on commercial and recreational shark management measures and review a draft comment letter on the issue. The Council will hear a presentation on alternative methods for estimating recreational landings for rarely encountered species and hear an update on the results of the pilot program to improve the Fishing Effort Survey for the Marine Recreational Information Program. The Council will continue work on the red snapper private recreational accountability measures and discussing delegation of federal for-hire red snapper management to Gulf States. The Council also expects to receive updates on the recreational gag and greater amberjack fishing seasons, and the federal for-hire red snapper fishing season.
Register for the webinar here.
Full Committee and Council Agendas and meeting materials will be posted as they become available.
About The Gulf Council
The Gulf Council is one of eight regional Fishery Management Councils established by the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans, which are designed to manage fishery resources within the 200-mile limit of the Gulf of America.