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2024 Gulf Red Snapper Private Recreational Season Open December 20-22 and 24-31. Harvest will close Jan. 1, 2025.

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Gulf Lane Snapper Harvest Closed December 13, 2024

FWC issued an executive order to close recreational lane snapper harvest in Gulf state waters from Dec. 13 – Dec. 31, 2024, consistent with the Gulf federal closure. Recreational harvest will reopen Jan. 1, 2025.

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FWC's Atlantic Red Snapper Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) Project

FWC has developed three separate EFP projects that may give you opportunities to fish for (and keep!) Atlantic red snapper outside of the one-day Atlantic federal recreational season to get better data and test new, innovative ideas aimed at reducing dead discards.

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News

A man holding a red snapper

Gulf Recreational Red Snapper

  • 2024 Gulf private recreation red snapper season remains open Nov. 22-24, 28-30, Dec. 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 24-31.
  • Harvest will be closed January 1, 2025 until the 2025 season is announced.


Atlantic Federal Recreational Red Snapper

NOAA Fisheries announced the 2024 season will be one day on Friday, July 12, 2024.

Fishing for snappers?

Make sure you're signed up for the State Reef Fish Survey

Regulations by Coast

Gulf of Mexico Regulations (state and federal waters unless specified)

Min. Size Limit

red snapper

16" TL

Daily Bag Limit

2 per person (included in the 10 per harvester per day state snapper aggregate bag limit)

Charter captain and crew: zero

 

Season

2024 Season:

  • Open:
    • June 1 – July 31
    • September 1-2, 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 27-29
    • October 4-6, 11-13, 18-20, 25-27
    • November 1-3, 8-11, 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
    • December 6-7, 13-15, 20-22, 24-31

Season applies to:

  • Recreational anglers fishing from private vessels in Florida Gulf state and federal waters
  • Charter for-hire vessels that do not have a federal permit are limited to harvest during the recreational season in Florida Gulf state waters only

Min. Size Limit

vermillion snapper

10" TL

Daily Bag Limit

State: 10 per person (not included in the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit)                 

Federal: 10/person within 20 reef fish aggregate

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

schoolmaster

10" TL

Daily Bag Limit

10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

gray snapper

State: 10" TL

Federal: 12" TL

Daily Bag Limit

State: 5 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit 

Federal: 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit 

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

mutton snapper

18" TL

Daily Bag Limit

5 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit 

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

cubera snapper

State: 12" TL

May possess no more than 2 over 30" per harvester or vessel per day, whichever is less. 30" or larger cubera are not included within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit       

Federal: 12" TL

Daily Bag Limit

10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

lane snapper

8" TL

Daily Bag Limit

State: Default bag limit of 100 pounds 

Federal: 20 under their 20-reef fish aggregate

Season

Closed through Dec. 31, 2024

Harvest will reopen Jan. 1, 2025

Min. Size Limit

None

Daily Bag Limit

Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

12" total length

Daily Bag Limit

Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit

Season

Open year-round

Atlantic Regulations (state and federal waters unless specified)

Min. Size Limit

red snapper

State: 20" TL

Federal: None

Daily Bag Limit

State: 2 per person

Federal: 1 per person

Season

State: Open year-round                               

Federal: July 12, 2024 (NOAA Fisheries News Release)

Min. Size Limit

vermillion snapper

12" TL

Daily Bag Limit

5 per person (not included in the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit)  

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

gray snapper

State: 10" TL

Federal: 12" TL 

Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Daily Bag Limit

State: 5 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit

Federal: 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit

Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

schoolmaster

10" TL

Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Daily Bag Limit

10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit 

Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

mutton snapper

18" TL

Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Daily Bag Limit

5 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit 

Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

cubera snapper

12" TL

May possess no more than 2 over 30" per harvester or vessel per day, whichever is less

30" or larger cubera are not included within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit

Daily Bag Limit

10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

lane snapper

8" TL

Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Daily Bag Limit

10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit

Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

None

Daily Bag Limit

Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit

Season

Open year-round

Min. Size Limit

12" TL

Special regulations apply for yellowtail snapper when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Daily Bag Limit

Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit

Special regulations apply for yellowtail snapper when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Season

Open year-round

Return ‘Em Right

A resource for anglers interested in best release practices.

Gulf Red Snapper

Red snapper comparison

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).

Snapper Research