Atlantic Recreational Red Snapper State Management Season
On May 21, 2026, a rogue federal judge sided with activists in an attempt to block Floridians from exercising their right to fish through the recently approved Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) for Atlantic Red Snapper issued by NOAA Fisheries earlier this month.
As a result of this ruling, NOAA has temporarily stalled Florida‘s Atlantic Red Snapper EFP. However, the agencies stand together in opposition of this delay tactic and will continue fighting for our fishing communities.
To that end, to ensure our anglers can get out on the water as planned beginning this weekend, FWC has modified its plans that will ensure access to fishing in our state waters. Effective May 21, FWC will rescind EO 26-11. Doing so will allow for the public to carry on with their plans on the water, including the ability to catch red snapper in state waters. As authorized by Florida Administrative Code, the recreational bag limit will default to 2 red snapper per person with a 20-inch size limit and remain in effect until further notice.
As for Florida’s historic EFP, when the EFP is unfrozen and ultimately restored, FWC will issue an updated EO reestablishing the extended red snapper season, which will increase the nautical miles available for fishing. Moreover, FWC officers have been notified of the unpredictable nature of the situation and will ensure boaters are provided education within our jurisdictional waters.
Welcome to FWC’s Atlantic Recreational Red Snapper State Management Season website. Please explore below to learn how to participate and for information on this season's regulations, best fishing practices, Frequently Asked Questions, and how to report data.
Summary of the Program
FWC has developed the Atlantic Recreational Red Snapper State Management Season to give recreational anglers and for-hire operators increased red snapper harvest opportunities through an open access season in Atlantic state and federal waters, while testing how an expanded season impacts effort, landings, and discard rates for the 2026 season.
At the same time, FWC is testing innovative ideas aimed at reducing dead discards (fish that are caught alive but die after release) and collecting better data via FWC’s State Reef Fish Survey (SRFS) and a voluntary FWC Atlantic Red Snapper Reporting System. This season is possible under a federal Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP), which is a permit that allows harvest for certain purposes otherwise prohibited under current federal regulations.
Thank you to Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida’s Attorney General, Congressman Rutherford and the Red Snapper Task Force, Florida Congressional leaders, and the recreational fishing community for their dedication and support to making state management for the Atlantic recreational red snapper fishery a reality!
*Temporarily Postponed* 2026 Red Snapper Season Dates and Regulations
- 39-day open season
- Summer: May 22 - June 20
- Fall: Oct 2 - 4, 9 - 11, & 16 -18
- Participation Requirements:
- Vessels for-hire must sign up for the free Atlantic For-Hire Reef Fish Registry to participate.
- Private recreational anglers must have a saltwater recreational fishing license (unless exempt) and a State Reef Fish Angler designation (free).
- Minimum Size Limit: No minimum size limit.
- Reporting:
- Anglers MUST declare fishing trips in the web-based FWC Atlantic Red Snapper Reporting System prior to leaving the dock and are encouraged to report fishing data post-trip.
- Anglers are encouraged to participate in dockside surveys and complete any surveys they receive by mail, email, text, or phone.
- Red Snapper Bag Limit: one fish per person per day, no retention for For-Hire captain or crew.
- Snapper Grouper Aggregate Bag Limit:
- Anglers on declared red snapper trips are required to follow the 10-fish snapper grouper aggregate bag limit outlined below.
- 10-fish snapper aggregate limit only applies to declared red snapper trips.
- If a red snapper trip is not declared, regulations default to current season, bag limit, and size limit.
- Anglers who do not declare a red snapper trip may not keep red snapper.
See below for additional requirements for private anglers and for-hire operators.
Snapper Grouper Aggregate Bag Limit
The snapper grouper aggregate bag limit is an alternative management strategy that FWC will test during the 2026 season to reduce dead discards. Each angler will be allowed to harvest 10 reef fish within the snapper grouper aggregate bag limit. All fish, excluding red snapper, must follow current state and federal seasons, size limits, and vessel limits. Anglers will be required to stop bottom fishing for reef fish once the snapper grouper aggregate bag limit is reached. Anglers can continue to fish for other non-reef species such as dolphinfish, kingfish, or redfish. The aggregate bag limit is as follows:
- Only 1 fish can be a red snapper
- Only 1 fish can be a gag, black, or scamp grouper
- Up to 2 fish can be a red, yellowfin, yellowmouth, coney, graysby, red hind, or rock hind grouper
- Only 1 fish can be a red porgy, blueline tilefish, or golden tilefish
- Only 1 fish can be a greater amberjack
- Up to 2 fish can be black seabass
- Up to 5 fish can be gray triggerfish
- Up to 7 fish can be a schoolmaster, gray, lane, yellowtail, queen, silk, or blackfin snapper
- Up to 5 fish can be a vermilion or mutton snapper
- Up to 2 fish can be a cubera snapper if each measures 30 inches or longer in total length
For example, if a single angler harvests 1 red snapper, 1 gag grouper (during open season), 2 vermilion snapper, 3 gray snapper, 2 black sea bass, and 1 gray triggerfish, they will have filled their 10 fish snapper grouper aggregate bag limit for the day. This angler is now required to stop bottom fishing for reef fish but may target other non-reef fish, such as wahoo, cobia, or dolphinfish.
Program Objectives
- Directly collaborate with the recreational sector and collect catch, effort, and discard information within the snapper grouper fishery.
- Utilize a web-based reporting app to record information from participants.
- Create a registry for for-hire operations that enables participation in the 2026 Special Red Snapper Season once operator is registered.
- Understand angler behavior as well as catch, effort, and discard rates throughout the year to develop in-season landings prediction model to inform future fishing seasons.
Do Your Part!
We are able to provide these fishing opportunities because of the data you report to FWC. In order to manage this fishery, we need your continued participation in the State Reef Fish Survey (SRFS) and the web-based FWC Atlantic Red Snapper Reporting System!
Report, and encourage others to do so too!
Why is FWC doing this?
- The Atlantic red snapper stock is at record abundance and biomass and is ahead of the rebuilding plan, and is no longer considered overfished or undergoing overfishing.
- Better data and management are clearly needed for Atlantic red snapper. Like many fishermen, the FWC has been frustrated and concerned with the current management and state of the snapper grouper fisheries in the South Atlantic. For years, anglers have asked for ways to provide information about their fishing trips directly to FWC.
- Management challenges, such as 1- or 2-day seasons, impact the ability to collect baseline catch and effort data.
- As a result, FWC has created the state management season to test new, innovative ideas outside of the confines of normal federal fisheries management.
- FWC is building off the success of the three Research EFPs that Florida anglers directly participated in. These EFPs provided valuable data directly to FWC.
- With your help, we hope to continue to collaborate with you to collect better catch and discard data to improve the management of our snapper grouper fisheries!
Private Recreational Anglers
- Allowed to harvest 1 red snapper per person per day, with no minimum size limit, under the Exempted Fishing Permit during the 2026 season dates.
- Location: Atlantic coast of Florida (Florida/Georgia line, south to the Florida Keys). All trips must depart from and return to Florida.
- Anglers must abide by the 10-fish snapper grouper aggregate bag limit.
- Participants must have a valid Florida saltwater recreational fishing license (or be exempt as per Chapter 379.353 F.S.) and sign up for the State Reef Fish Angler designation (free).
- Participants must declare fishing trips where red snapper may be harvested in the web-based FWC Atlantic Red Snapper Reporting System.
- Upon completion of the fishing trip, anglers are recommended (but not required) to report data, including catch and discard data of species caught, region fished, descending device or venting tool usage, depredation occurrence, and time spent fishing within the reporting application.
- Participants are encouraged to complete surveys at the dock about their trip if they encounter an FWC biologist and to complete surveys received by mail, email, or text about their fishing trips from the prior month.
- Participants will test an innovative 10-fish snapper grouper aggregate bag limit.
- Hook and line and spear only.
- Single hook rig when fishing with natural baits.
- North of 28° N. latitude: non-stainless steel, non-offset circle hooks.
- South of 28° N. latitude: non-stainless steel hooks.
- Barotrauma Mitigation Tools
- Federal waters: descending devices are required to be rigged and ready.
- State waters: descending devices or venting tools are required to be rigged and ready; descending device and/or venting tool must be used if fish is experiencing barotrauma.
NOTE: Due to the requirements of the EFP, anglers participating will NOT be able to fish at the following Special Management Zones: Key Biscayne Artificial Reef, Ft. Pierce Offshore Reef, and Ft. Pierce Inshore Reef. For more information, including coordinates, see 50 CFR 622.182.
For-Hire Operators
- Allowed to harvest 1 red snapper per person per day, with no minimum size limit, under the Exempted Fishing Permit during the 2026 season dates.
- Location: Atlantic coast of Florida (Florida/Georgia line, south to the Florida Keys). All trips must depart from and return to Florida.
- Anglers must abide by the 10-fish snapper grouper aggregate bag limit.
- No retention of red snapper by captain or crew during For-Hire operations.
Atlantic For-Hire Reef Fish Registry
- For-hire captains are required to have appropriate state and federal permits depending on where they are fishing, as well as sign up for the new no-cost FWC Atlantic For-Hire Reef Fish Registry.
- This is required for all for-hire operations planning to participate in the 2026 recreational season.
- All vessels for-hire, which include charter, headboat, and saltwater fishing guide operations, that target or harvest certain reef fish in Atlantic state and federal waters are required to report their intention to harvest or attempt to harvest the following species.
- Red Snapper, Vermilion Snapper, Yellowtail Snapper, Mutton Snapper, Hogfish, Gag Grouper, Red Grouper, Black Grouper, Gray Triggerfish, Greater Amberjack, Lesser Amberjack, Banded Rudderfish, or Almaco Jack.
- The purpose of the new Atlantic For-Hire Reef Fish Registry is to allow FWC to get an accurate account of the number of for-hire operations targeting red snapper and participating in the upcoming red snapper seasons.
- Captains must require individual anglers to stop targeted snapper grouper fishing (i.e., bottom fishing) once they reach their respective 10-fish snapper grouper aggregate bag limit, and must require the vessel to stop bottom fishing for snapper-grouper species once the snapper-grouper aggregate bag limit of 10-fish has been met for all anglers.
FWC Reporting App
- Captains must declare fishing trips where red snapper may be harvested in the web-based FWC Reporting App.
- Upon completion of the fishing trip, captains are recommended (but not required) to report data, including catch and discard data of species caught, region fished, descending device or venting tool usage, depredation occurrence, and time spent fishing within the reporting application.
Continued Reporting
- Captains are recommended to participate in surveys at the dock if they encounter an FWC biologist.
- Captains are recommended to continue participation in For-Hire Telephone Survey if they are called.
- Hook and line and spear only.
- Single hook rig when fishing with natural baits.
- North of 28° N. latitude: non-stainless steel, non-offset circle hooks.
- South of 28° N. latitude: non-stainless steel hooks.
- Barotrauma Mitigation Tools
- Federal waters: descending devices are required to be rigged and ready.
- State waters: descending devices or venting tools are required to be rigged and ready; descending device and/or venting tool must be used if fish is experiencing barotrauma.
NOTE: Due to the requirements of the EFP, anglers participating will NOT be able to fish at the following Special Management Zones: Key Biscayne Artificial Reef, Ft. Pierce Offshore Reef, and Ft. Pierce Inshore Reef. For more information, including coordinates, see 50 CFR 622.182.
Frequently Asked Questions
An EFP, or Exempted Fishing Permit, is a permit which allows harvest for certain purposes that are otherwise prohibited under current federal regulations.
No, the 2026 red snapper state management season is open access.
Anglers are required to have all the necessary licenses, including a valid Florida saltwater recreational fishing license (unless exempt) and must sign up for the State Reef Fish Angler designation (free).
For-hire captains are required to have appropriate state and federal permits depending on where they are fishing, as well as sign up for the new, no-cost FWC Atlantic For-Hire Reef Fish Registry. This is required for all for-hire operations planning to participate in the 2026 recreational season.
All anglers must declare trips where they intend to harvest red snapper through the web-based FWC Reporting App.
Atlantic red snapper is no longer overfished and no longer undergoing overfishing according to the most recent stock assessments (SEDAR 73 update 2024; Secretarial Amendment 59).
Discard mortality refers to fish that are caught alive, but later die after they are released. Fish are often discarded due to regulatory requirements (e.g., out of season, bag or size limits, etc.).
For more information, email us at AtlanticEFP@myfwc.com.
Better science and understanding of our current red snapper fishery can lead to improved management. This includes collecting better catch and discard data directly from anglers, better understanding effort in an expanded fishing season, and testing an innovative bag limit management strategy to reduce discards.
More Information:
If you have additional questions, please email us at AtlanticEFP@myfwc.com or call the Division of Marine Fisheries Management at (850) 487-0554.
If you would like to learn more about best fishing practices and reef fish identification, please check out some of our education modules: