Red Snapper 

Atlantic Ocean (updated December 18, 2009)

NOAA Fisheries Service has announced that effective January 4, 2010, all recreational and commercial harvest of red snapper in Atlantic federal waters is prohibited.  This interim rule will be effective until June 2, 2010 and could be extended for another 186-day period.  Red snapper in the Atlantic Ocean have been shown to be overfished (low population abundance) and undergoing overfishing (excessive fishing rate) according to the recent stock assessment completed in early 2008.  Federal regulations mandate that these conditions require action to substantially reduce the level of harvest. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is also in the process of developing its Amendment 17 to the Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan which includes permanent management measures for red snapper and 9 other reef fish species.

The FWC will monitor and actively participate in these deliberations and may address any potential regulation changes for state waters following final Council and NOAA Fisheries Service actions.

Effective July 29, 2009, recreational and commercial fishers in Atlantic federal waters off Florida are required to use dehooking devices when fishing for reef fish, including red snapper.  Consistent regulations go into effect in state waters of the Atlantic January 19, 2010.

Gulf of Mexico (updated August 18, 2009)

Red snapper regulations are in effect for all waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  The recreational bag limit is 2 fish per person and the captain and crew of for-hire vessels (i.e., charter boats) are prohibited from harvesting red snapper.  The open harvest season in both state and federal waters is June 1 through August 14.

NOAA Fisheries Service estimated that recreational fishers in the Gulf exceeded 2008's annual red snapper catch limit by approximately 1.2 million pounds.  A federal law requires that harvest levels must be reduced in the year following a previous year's overharvest.  To offset last year's overharvest, NOAA Fisheries Service shortened the recreational red snapper harvest season in Gulf federal waters (beyond 9 nautical miles from shore) from June 1 through September 30 to June 1 through August 14.  The FWC approved the same season change in state waters at its Commission Meeting on June 18.

Vermillion Snapper

Atlantic Ocean (updated October 16, 2009)

At its September meeting, the FWC approved rules that would make vermilion snapper regulations in state waters of the Atlantic consistent with regulations that took effect earlier this year in federal Atlantic waters and are intended to end overfishing of vermilion snapper.  The following rules are effective in state and federal waters of the Atlantic Ocean:

• Recreational bag limit of 5 fish per harvester per day,
• A November 1 through March 31 seasonal closure for recreational fishers, and
• Captain and crew of for-hire vessels are prohibited from keeping vermilion snapper.

Additional regulation changes for vermilion snapper in federal waters of the Atlantic took effect July 29, 2009.  These regulations were developed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and are intended to end overfishing of vermilion snapper.  These additional changes:

• Modify the commercial vermilion snapper quota to 315,523 lbs (January - June) and 302,523 lbs (July - December), and
• Require persons fishing for snapper-grouper species (including vermilion snapper) to possess and use a dehooking device as needed to remove hooks from fish with minimal damage.