Snappers
Snapper are managed differently in the Gulf versus the Atlantic and in state versus federal waters.
Gulf state waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles.
Atlantic state waters are from shore to 3 nautical miles.
Scroll down for regulations by coast and by species.
News
2020 Gulf Red Snapper Season
The Commission approved draft dates for the 2020 Gulf red snapper season at the December 11 & 12 Commission meeting. The draft dates are June 11-July 24. These dates will come back before the Commission in February for final approval. To learn more, see agenda.
Lane Snapper
Fishing for snappers in the Gulf?
Make sure signed up for the Gulf 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
Open Season
2020 season in Gulf state and federal waters: Proposed season is June 11-July 24. Season will be brought to Commission in February for final approval.
2019 season in Gulf state and federal waters: June 11 - July 12 and Oct. 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, and 27 AND Nov. 2 and 3.
2019 season for federally-permitted for-hire vessels: June 1-Aug. 1
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
Open Season
Open year-round
Min. Size Limit
10" TL
Daily Bag Limit
Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Open 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
Open 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
Open 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
Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Open 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
Min. Size Limit
None
Daily Bag Limit
Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Open Season
Open year-round
Min. Size Limit
State: 12" TL
Federal: 12" TL for Yellowtail only; others have no minimum size
NEW: Minimum size limit will be removed July 1, 2019, in state waters for blackfin, queen and silk snapper.
Daily Bag Limit
Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Open Season
Open year-round
Note: Gear rules require circle hooks and dehooking to be used in Gulf state waters reef fish fisheries. The requirement to use venting tools in state and federal waters was eliminated in 2014.
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
Daily Bag Limit
State: Open year-round
Federal: Open July 12-14 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) and July 19-20 (Friday and Saturday). Learn more.
Min. Size Limit
12" TL
Daily Bag Limit
5 per person (not included in the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit)
Closed 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
Open Season
Open year-round
Min. Size Limit
State: 10" TL
Federal: None
Daily Bag Limit
Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Open Season
Open year-round
Min. Size Limit
State: 18" TL
Federal: 18" TL
Daily Bag Limit
5 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Open 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
Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Open Season
Open year-round
Min. Size Limit
8" TL
Daily Bag Limit
10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Open Season
Open year-round
Min. Size Limit
None
Daily Bag Limit
Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Open Season
Open year-round
Min. Size Limit
12" TL
NEW: Minimum size limit will be removed July 1, 2019, in state waters for blackfin, queen and silk snapper.
Daily Bag Limit
Up to 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Open Season
Open year-round
Note: Gear rules require dehooking tools to be used in the Atlantic reef fish fishery.
Captain and crew can keep recreational bag limits of all in-season snapper grouper species.
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
