South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

Snapper, Red

Snapper, Red

Lutjanus campechanus
Recreational
All areas are closed for recreational fishing.
Commercial
All areas are closed for commercial fishing.

Color pinkish red over entire body, whitish below; long triangular snout; anal fin sharply pointed; no dark lateral spot; red eye.

Found offshore on the continental shelf. Juveniles occur over sandy or mud bottoms; adults may live more than 20 years, and attain 35 pounds or more; sexual maturity is attained at age 2; spawn from June to October; feeds on crustaceans and fish.

Regulations

An illustration of a Red Snapper.

NC, SC, GA

  • Season is currently closed.
  • Season Closed: January 01, 2026 – July 10, 2026
  • 1 Bag Limit
  • Additional Licenses Required: Anglers intending to land this species in Florida are required to sign up as a Florida State Reef Fish Angler if they fish from a private recreational boat and are 16 years of age and older. To sign up, call 1-888-347-4356.
  • Notes:

    The recreational sector for South Atlantic Red Snapper will open for harvest for two days – at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 11, 2025, through 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 13, 2025. Read the Fishery Bulletin for more information.

    A descending device is required on board all vessels fishing for or possessing snapper and grouper species in federal waters of the South Atlantic. The descending device must be readily available for use and attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line. Learn how to help more released fish survive and share what you’re seeing on the water by visiting the Best Fishing Practices and SAFMC Release webpages.

    Federally Permitted Charter/Headboats:

    • If a federally permitted vessel fishing in federal waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in federal waters, the vessel is not allowed to retain that fish.
    • If a federally permitted vessel fishing in state waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in federal waters but open in state waters, the vessel is not allowed to retain that species.
    • If a federally permitted vessel fishing in federal waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in state waters but open to harvest in federal waters, they may retain that fish if they do not stop to fish in state waters when returning to port. All gear must be stowed.

    Federally Permitted Charter/Headboats must have the following on board:

    • The 2019 version of the NMFS document titled “Careful Release Protocols for Sea Turtle Release with Minimal Injury” (document may be electronic).
    • NMFS sea turtle handling and release guidelines placard
    • Required release and handling gears

    See Snapper Grouper Sea Turtle and Smalltooth Sawfish Release Gear Requirements for more information.

    For more information on management of South Atlantic federal fisheries, please visit SAFMC or NOAA Fisheries.

    For commercial regulations, download Fish Rules Commercial App for iOS devices or Android devices.

  • Gear Description: Allowable gear includes vertical hook-and-line, including hand line and bandit gear, and spearfishing gear without rebreathers. When fishing for or possessing snapper grouper species in federal waters of the South Atlantic, the following regulations apply: (1) Use of a dehooking tool is required. (2) The use of non-stainless steel hooks is required when using hook-and-line gear with natural baits. In waters North of 28-degrees N. latitude, the use of non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks is required when fishing for snapper grouper species using hook-and-line gear with natural baits. (3) A descending device is required on board all vessels and must be readily available for use (attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line). See below for more details.

FL

  • Season is currently closed.
  • Season Closed: January 01, 2026 – May 21, 2026
  • Season Closed: June 21, 2026 – October 01, 2026
  • Season Closed: October 05, 2026 – October 08, 2026
  • Season Closed: October 12, 2026 – October 16, 2026
  • Season Closed: October 19, 2026 – December 31, 2026
  • 1 Bag Limit
  • Additional Licenses Required: Anglers intending to land this species in Florida are required to sign up as a Florida State Reef Fish Angler if they fish from a private recreational boat and are 16 years of age and older. To sign up, call 1-888-347-4356.
  • Notes:

    Reporting Requirements: Each angler intending on harvesting red snapper MUST declare each red snapper fishing trip in the web-based FWC Atlantic Red Snapper Reporting System. Upon completion of the fishing trip, anglers are recommended (but not required) to report catch data.

    10 Snapper Grouper Aggregate Bag Limit: Angler can only harvesting 10 reef fish within the snapper grouper aggregate bag limit when fishing on a declared red snapper fishing trips. Aggregate includes:

    1. Only 1 fish can be a red snapper
    2. Only 1 fish can be a gag, black, or scamp grouper
    3. Up to 2 fish can be a red, yellowfin, yellowmouth, coney, graysby, red hind, or rock hind grouper
    4. Only 1 fish can be a red porgy, blueline tilefish, or golden tilefish
    5. Only 1 fish can be a greater amberjack
    6. Up to 2 fish can be black seabass
    7. Up to 5 fish can be gray triggerfish
    8. Up to 7 fish can be a schoolmaster, gray, lane, yellowtail, queen, silk, or blackfin snapper
    9. Up to 5 fish can be a vermilion or mutton snapper
    10. Up to 2 fish can be a cubera snapper if each measures 30 inches or longer in total length

    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 aggregate bag limit is reached.

    Visit MyFWC.com/AtlanticRedSnapper for additional regulations for Florida’s Atlantic recreational red snapper season.

  • Gear Description: Allowable gear includes vertical hook-and-line, including hand line and bandit gear, and spearfishing gear without rebreathers. When fishing for or possessing snapper grouper species in federal waters of the South Atlantic, the following regulations apply: (1) Use of a dehooking tool is required. (2) The use of non-stainless steel hooks is required when using hook-and-line gear with natural baits. In waters North of 28-degrees N. latitude, the use of non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks is required when fishing for snapper grouper species using hook-and-line gear with natural baits. (3) A descending device is required on board all vessels and must be readily available for use (attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line). See below for more details.

Amendments in progress

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