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


GulfFIN/NOAA Fisheries Recreational Survey and Data Review Meeting
May 14-May 16, 2024
Hilton New Orleans Riverside
Two Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA

Review of federal and state recreational surveys and develop a process for reviewing recreational estimates.
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GSMFC 75th Annual Meeting
Oct 15-Oct 17, 2024
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 76th Annual Meeting
Oct 14-Oct 16, 2025
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 77th Annual Meeting
Oct 20-Oct 22, 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 19-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 17-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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Latest Publications


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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Stakeholder Workshop on Management Reference Points for Gulf Menhaden Fisheries
A final Gulf Menhaden stakeholder workshop reviewed the Goals and Objectives identified by the participants in the previous two workshops and outlined the pros and cons of a number of reference point options including ecosystem-based ones. The participants included all the Gulf states’ management agencies, NOAA Fisheries, and several non-governmental entities and tried to reach consensus on what reference point options were viable at this time. The results of the discussions will help guide the next Gulf Menhaden stock assessment in 2024.
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Minutes from 2022
The minutes of the meetings and activities supported by the Commission are published upon their approval by their respective committees. These minutes reflect the variety of topics and actions taken during the process of conducting each committee's business in support of marine fisheries management in the Gulf.
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General Session: 2023 Aquaculture Overview
This session highlighted six on-going and completed aquaculture projects in the region that are supported through the NOAA and Commission’ Aquaculture Program. The projects were selected because they are either multi-year or have had multiple stages of research. The ability of the Commission’s Aquaculture Program to fund additional work after a successful pilot study is one of the major benefits of the program. Projects include the culture of finfish, mollusks, and seaweed, an outreach tool in support of regional aquaculture, as well as two integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) projects.
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Fisheries Information Network

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.

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Interjurisdictional Fisheries Program

Interjurisdictional Fisheries Program

Designed to develop management plans for transboundary stocks that migrate freely through state and federal jurisdictions.

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Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program

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.

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Sport Fish Restoration Administrative Program

Sport Fish Restoration Administrative Program

Designed to provide coordination of the recreational fisheries programs in the five gulf states.

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Fisheries Disaster Recovery Program

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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Other Commission Sites

Get in Touch

  • Phone:
    (228) 875 5912
  • Email:
    info@gsmfc.org
  • Address:
    2404 Government Street
    Ocean Springs, MS 39564