The Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission was established by an act of Congress (P.L. 81-66) in 1949 as a compact of the five Gulf States. Its charge is:
"to promote better utilization of the fisheries, marine, shell and anadromous, of the seaboard of the Gulf of Mexico, by the development of a joint program for the promotion and protection of such fisheries and the prevention of the physical waste of the fisheries from any cause."
Upcoming Meetings
GSMFC 75th Annual Meeting
Oct 14-Oct 17, 2024
The Lodge at Gulf State Park
21196 East Beach Blvd.
Gulf Shores, AL
The annual meeting of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission to discuss a variety of issues related to fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
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GSMFC 76th Annual Meeting
Oct 13-Oct 16, 2025
MS
The annual meeting of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission to discuss a variety of issues related to fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
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GSMFC 77th Annual Meeting
Oct 12-Oct 15, 2026
FL
The annual meeting of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission to discuss a variety of issues related to fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
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GSMFC 78th Annual Meeting
Oct 18-Oct 21, 2027
TX
The annual meeting of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission to discuss a variety of issues related to fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
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GSMFC 79th Annual Meeting
Oct 16-Oct 19, 2028
LA
The annual meeting of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission to discuss a variety of issues related to fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
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GSMFC 80th Annual Meeting
Oct 15-Oct 18, 2029
MS
The annual meeting of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission to discuss a variety of issues related to fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
Learn more »
Latest Publications
2024 Gulf Menhaden: Fishery Goals and Objectives
Industry representatives serving on the Menhaden Advisory Committee (MAC) asked the MAC to update the Goals and Objective (Section 9) of the 2015 Revision of the Gulf Menhaden Fishery Management Plan with activities from publication to present day. This updated document helps industry partners towards their Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification. It reflects a verbatim version of Section 9 copied from the revised FMP with linked activities highlighted in blue italics. No original text has been altered. This document is an official GSMFC publication and asserts that the Goals and Objectives of our 2015 FMP remain active and relevant for Gulf Menhaden management.
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License & Fees for Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas in Their Marine Waters for the Year 2023
License and Fees is the annual summary of all the saltwater fishing related licenses sold and the revenues generated in the previous year throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Also included are the annual USFWS’s Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration funds and the Interjurisdictional Fisheries funds as apportioned by state. Lastly, it provides a comparison of the annual license revenues by state.
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Annual Report of the Fisheries Information Network in the Southeast Region (FIN) January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023
The Fisheries Information Network (FIN) is a state-federal cooperative program to collect, manage, and disseminate statistical data and information on the marine commercial and recreational fisheries of the Southeast Region.
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The State of the Gulf Oyster Workshop
The Gulf states continue to face challenges in traditional oyster fishery management so the GSMFC and the FWC hosted a two-day, State of the Gulf Oyster Workshop to discuss the status of the traditional, wild harvest oyster resources in each state as well as a few of the innovations and management tools being developed. Three representatives from each state agency were invited to participate at the roundtable workshop in August 2023 and covered topics like restoration efforts, adaptive management, and stakeholder engagement. Increased funding and ongoing research will be crucial to address the complex issues surrounding oyster fisheries in the Gulf Coast region moving forward.
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Annual Report of the Fisheries Information Network in the Southeast Region (FIN) January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022
The Fisheries Information Network (FIN) is a state-federal cooperative program to collect, manage, and disseminate statistical data and information on the marine commercial and recreational fisheries of the Southeast Region.
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Request for Proposals
Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission/NOAA Fisheries IRA
Funding Request for Proposals
October 1, 2024 - Recreational fishing generates more than 138
billion in sales impacts and supports more than 692 thousand jobs. In the
Southeast, more recreational angler fishing trips occur than the rest of the
United States combined. Accurate collection of recreational data is critical to
manage recreational fisheries. Estimation of recreational fishing effort and
released fish discards represent two of the greatest sources of uncertainty in
recreational data statistics. Given questions regarding the accuracy of
recreational catch estimates in the offshore finfish reef fishery, we are
seeking proposals that would improve the quality of two specific components of
marine recreational finfish data collection systems. The specific areas of
interest are:
- Research that would provide estimates of recreational fishing effort from private boats in offshore waters (related to managed reef fish species such as red snapper, groupers, jacks and others).
- Research that would validate and improve the quality of private and for-hire vessel released catch data available for red snapper and other managed reef fish species.
Pre-proposals must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. CST on November 15,
2024.
Proposals must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. CST on January 15,
2025.
Fisheries Information Network
A cooperative program for the collection, management, and dissemination of statistical data and information on the Gulf Region's commercial and recreational fisheries.
Read More »Interjurisdictional Fisheries Program
Designed to develop management plans for transboundary stocks that migrate freely through state and federal jurisdictions.
Read More »Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program
A state/federal/university program for the collection, management and dissemination of fishery-independent data and information in the southeastern United States.
Read More »Sport Fish Restoration Administrative Program
Designed to provide coordination of the recreational fisheries programs in the five gulf states.
Read More »Fisheries Disaster Recovery Program
Aimed at improving the public perception and confidence in Gulf of Mexico seafood following various man-made and natural disasters.
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