In general, state and federal regulations require most marine fish to be landed whole (e.g., fish may not be possessed as fillets on the water). In January 2016, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council created an exemption allowing recreational anglers to transit Atlantic federal waters with fillets of recreationally harvested dolphin from The Bahamas provided specific conditions were met. The Commission is considering rules that are consistent with recent changes for federal waters. Specifically, these proposed rules would create an exception in state rule allowing anglers to land dolphin as fillets instead of as whole fish, provided the dolphin were recreationally harvested in The Bahamas and anglers adhere to several conditions. To qualify for this exception, anglers would be required to keep skin on fillets for the purpose of species identification. Anglers would also be required to comply with South Atlantic federal bag and possession limits. For the purpose of these rules, two fillets would count as one fish towards the dolphin bag and passion limits. To serve as proof that the fish were harvested in Bahamian waters, the vessel would be required to have valid Bahamian fishing and cruising permits and each passenger aboard the vessel would be required to possess a valid government passport with current stamps and dates from The Bahamas. When transiting state waters, the vessel would be required to maintain a continuous course with all fishing gear stowed. The final condition would prohibit sale and purchase of dolphin transited to Florida under this exception. The proposed rule changes would benefit Florida residents and tourists who depart from Florida ports to fish in The Bahamas, because it would allow them to return to Florida with their Bahamian-caught dolphin as fillets. Aboard small recreational fishing vessels, it is more practical to store fish as fillets, rather than as whole fish, and doing so can help minimize food safety risks. Additionally, implementing these proposed rules would create consistency with federal regulations off Florida’s Atlantic coast and make rule compliance simpler for recreational anglers. The effect of the proposed rules would be an exception allowing recreational anglers to land dolphin as fillets, rather than as whole fish, when returning to Florida by boat with dolphin caught in Bahamian waters. Creating this exception would benefit Florida residents and tourists by offering them an alternative means to safely store and transport their Bahamian catch and by creating consistent regulations with adjacent federal waters.