Red Snapper Regulations

Commercial Season: 

The following regulations apply to Red Snapper in federal waters (3-200 nautical miles) off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and East Florida.

Read the announcement from NOAA Fisheries.

• 2020 Commercial Open Season: The commercial sector will open for harvest at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 13, 2020, and will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2021, unless the commercial annual catch limit is met or projected to be met before this date.
• Annually, if NOAA Fisheries determines that a season is allowed, the commercial Red Snapper fishery will open the second Monday in July.
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Commercial Trip and Size Limits

• Trip Limit:​ 75 lbs gutted weight (if a vessel makes multiple trips per day, the trip limit can only be harvested once per day)

• Minimum Size Limit: None

Allowable gear includes vertical hook-and-line, including hand line and bandit gear, and spearfishing gear without rebreathers. 

Dehooking Tool Requirement:

• Recreational and commercial fishermen are required to use dehooking tools when fishing for snapper grouper species.
  • At least one dehooking device is required and must be used as needed to remove hooks embedded in South Atlantic snapper-grouper with minimum damage.
  • The hook removal device must be constructed to allow the hook to be secured and the barb shielded without re-engaging during the removal process.
  • The dehooking end must be blunt, and all edges rounded. The device must be of a size appropriate to secure the range of hook sizes and styles used in the South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery.

Descending Device Requirement:

• Requirement: A descending device is required to be on board and readily available for use on all vessels fishing for or possessing snapper-grouper species;

• Definition of a Descending Device: an instrument to which is attached a minimum of a 16 ounce weight and a length of line that will release the fish at the depth from which the fish was caught or a minimum of 60 feet.
  • The descending device attaches to the fish’s mouth or is a container that will hold the fish.  The device MUST be capable of releasing the fish automatically, by the actions of the operator of the device, or by allowing the fish to escape on its own.
  • Since minimizing surface time is critical to increasing survival, descending devices shall be readily available for use while engaged in fishing.

Hook Requirements:

All hooks, regardless of type, must be constructed of non-stainless steel. 

North of 28º North Latitude: 

• The use of Non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks is required when fishing for snapper-grouper species with hook-and-line gear and natural baits north of 28º north latitude.
• A circle hook is defined as a fishing hook designed and manufactured so that the point is turned perpendicularly back to the shank to form a generally circular, or oval, shape.  

South of 28º North Latitude:

• The use of non-stainless steel hooks when fishing for snapper-grouper species with hook-and-line gear and natural baits south of 28º north latitude.  

Click here for helpful resources, including:

• best fishing practices tips
• information on hook types
• how-to videos

Sea Turtle Release Gear Requirements

Annual Catch Limit

This species is managed under an Annual Catch Limit (ACL).

After the commercial annual catch limit is met, all purchase and sale is prohibited and harvest and/or possession is limited to the recreational bag limit. This prohibition does not apply to fish harvested, landed, and sold prior to the annual catch limit being reached and held in cold storage by a dealer. 

Click here for details 

• All species must be landed with head and fins intact