Gulf Red Snapper

Red Snapper

Gulf of Mexico

Recreational Regulations for state and federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico

*Zero daily bag and possession limit for captain and crew on for hire vessels.

Management History

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a 44-day season for Gulf of Mexico state waters at the April 2013 season. The season will start June 1 and close to harvest on July 15. The daily bag limit will remain two fish per harvester.

Federal Waters Update: NOAA Fisheries set a 26-day season in federal waters off of Florida. Learn more about the federal season here. 

Recreational and commercial fishers in Gulf waters off Florida are required to use dehooking devices when fishing for reef fish, including red snapper.  Visit the reef fish gear rules page for more information.

View a history of Red Snapper management in Gulf of Mexico state and federal waters.

Red snapper are long-lived, early-maturing reef fish that are broadly distributed in the Gulf of Mexico. They can live to be 57. Older, larger females contribute far more eggs than younger, smaller females. To have a sustainable red snapper stock, there should be an abundance of older/larger fish to maximize the number of young fish coming into the fishery.

One 24-inch female red snapper (about an 8 year old fish) produces as many eggs as 212 17-inch females (about 5 years old).

Image Credit: Diane Rome Peebles

Commercial

• The commercial minimum size limit of harvested and imported fish is 13 inches total length
• The commercial daily bag and trip limit is 2 fish per person in state waters
• Commercial harvesters must possess an Individual Fishing Quota allocation
• Seasonal and area closures are in place for the commercial shrimping industry to reduce effort in order in minimize juvenile red snapper bycatch

For more information:

• Reef Fish Gear Rules
• State Reef Fish Rule, 68B-14, F.A.C.
• Federal Code of Regulations
• History of Gulf of Mexico red snapper regulations

Gulf Red Snapper Research

The FWCs Fish and Wildlife Research Institute is seeking recreational anglers to volunteer to take catch cards on their next offshore fishing trip to record the numbers of red snapper harvested and a tally of red snapper released by size and hook location.

• Download a Gulf red snapper catch card
• Read more about FWC research on red snapper and other reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico 

Links to Federal agencies and reports:

• NOAA Fisheries Service Red Snapper page
• Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
• Red Snapper Stock Assessment

Other Snapper

Recreational Regulations for state waters of the Gulf of Mexico

*Note: Gear rules require circle hooks, dehooking and venting tools to be used in the Gulf reef fish fishery.