Snappers
News
Gulf Recreational Red Snapper
- Florida's 2023 Gulf red snapper season will open on June 16 and run consecutively through July 31, 2023
- The season will reopen on September 1 for 3-day weekends in September, October and November (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) as well as Labor Day and Thanksgiving Day. Specific dates are listed below under the Gulf of Mexico regulations for red snapper.
- This season applies to recreational anglers fishing from private vessels in Florida Gulf state and federal waters. For-hire operations that do not have a federal reef fish permit may also participate in the season but are limited to fishing for red snapper in Florida Gulf state waters only.
Atlantic Federal Recreational Red Snapper
NOAA Fisheries recently announced the 2023 Atlantic federal recreational red snapper season will be July 14th and 15th. Please see the NOAA Fisheries Press Release for more information.
Fishing for snappers?
Make sure signed up for the State Reef Fish Survey
Regulations by Coast
Gulf of Mexico Regulations (state and federal waters unless specified)
Min. Size Limit
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
2023 open season:
- June 16 - July 31
- Sept. 1 - 4 (Friday - Monday of Labor Day Weekend)
- Sept. 8 - 10, 15 - 17, 22 - 24,
- Sept. 29 - Oct. 1
- Oct. 6 - 8, 13 - 15, 20 - 22, 27 - 29
- Nov. 3 - 5, 10 - 12, 17 - 19
- Nov. 24 - 26 (Thursday - Sunday of Thanksgiving Weekend)
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
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
10" TL
Daily Bag Limit
10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Season
Open year-round
Min. Size Limit
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
State: 18" TL
Federal: 18" TL
Daily Bag Limit
State: 5 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Federal: Up to 5 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Season
Open year-round
Min. Size Limit
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
8" TL
Daily Bag Limit
State: Default bag limit of 100 pounds
Federal: 20 under their 20-reef fish aggregate
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" 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
State: 20" TL
Daily Bag Limit
State: 2 per person
Federal: 1 per person
Min. Size Limit
12" TL
Daily Bag Limit
5 per person (not included in the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit)
Season
Open year-round
Min. Size Limit
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
State: 10" TL
Federal: None
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
State: 18" TL
Federal: 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
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
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 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
