Snappers
News
Gulf Recreational Red Snapper
- The 2025 fishing season will be open for 126 day, divided between summer and fall opportunities.
- The summer season will open for Memorial Day weekend (May 24-26), then reopen daily from June 1 through July 31.
- The fall season will open be open daily from September 1-14, then shift to weekends only (Friday – Sunday) for the remainder of the year.
- Special holiday opportunities will occur on Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
- This season applies to recreational anglers fishing from a private vessel in Florida Gulf state and federal waters.
- For-hire charter operators without a federal reef fish permit may also participate but are limited to fishing in Florida Gulf state waters only.
- Complete season dates are listed in the regulation table below.
Atlantic Federal Recreational Red Snapper
- NOAA will announce the 2025 Atlantic Red Snapper season later this year.
Fishing for snappers?
Make sure you're signed up for the State Reef Fish Survey
Regulations by Coast
Gulf of America 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
2025 Season:
Summer Season:
- May 24-26 (Sat. - Mon. of Memorial Day Weekend)
- June 1 - July 31 (Daily)
Fall Season:
- Sept. 1-14 (Daily)
- Sept. 19-21, 26-28
- Oct. 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, 24-26
- Oct. 31 - Nov. 2
- Nov. 7-9
- Nov. 11 (Veteran's Day)
- Nov. 14-16, 21-23
- Nov. 27-30 (Thanksgiving weekend)
- Dec. 5-7, 12-14, 19-21
- Dec. 25-28 (Christmas 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
18" TL
Daily Bag Limit
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
Federal: None
Daily Bag Limit
State: 2 per person
Federal: 1 per person
Season
State: Open year-round
Federal: Closed -2025 season to be announced by NOAA.
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
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
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 America. 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).
