The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced the 2025 season for Gulf Red Snapper for federally permitted for-hire charters that can fish in federal waters in the Gulf. For 2025, the Gulf red snapper season is going to start at 12:01 a.m. local time on June 1st and end at 12:01 a.m. local time on September 16th. This is a total of 107 days for Gulf red snapper fishing from a federally permitted for-hire reef fish charter. Though please do note, this is only for permitted charter vessels, for private recreational anglers, each Gulf state sets its own state and federal water seasons for red snapper, so double-check your state agencies for specific dates.
NOAA determined this year’s Gulf red snapper season by going off the American red snapper total recreational quota of 7.991,900 pounds of whole weight, of which 57.7% is allocated for private anglers, and 42.3% of the quota is allocated for for-hire charters. Giving the charter sector a quota of 3,380,574 pounds of whole weight. So, using the annual catch target of 3,076,322 pounds whole weight, which is 91% of the quota, and projected catch rates and average weights of landed fish, NOAA did the math to find that 107 days would be the right length for the season.
Though many are enjoying the announcement of a longer for-hire season for Gulf red snapper, there are concerns about possible overutilization of local snapper stocks in Florida. Considering the record-length gulf red snapper season for private vessel anglers in Florida this year as well, late-season anglers might see difficulties in limiting out this year.
Regulations for Fishing in Federal Waters:
Vessels with a Federal Gulf Charter/Headboat Permit for Reef Fish:
- Persons aboard a federally permitted for-hire reef fish vessel cannot fish for or possess red snapper in federal or state waters when the federal for-hire season is closed.
- If the federal permit is transferred off the vessel, persons aboard the vessel cannot, at any time during that fishing year, fish for or possess red snapper in state or federal waters when the federal for-hire season is closed.
- These restrictions apply even if the vessel is not acting as a charter vessel; for example, the captain is taking his or her family fishing.
- These restrictions apply regardless of any other permit on the vessel.
- Relevant regulations: 50 CRF 622.39(c) and 622.41(q)(2)(iii)(B). These regulations can be viewed at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622.
Regulations regarding state-licensed for-hire vessels without a Federal Gulf Charter/Headboat Permit for Reef Fish:
- The delegation of management to the Gulf states for the red snapper private angling component does not allow for-hire vessels to fish for or possess red snapper in or from federal waters without a federal for-hire permit.
- Please see state regulations relative to fishing for red snapper in state waters.
Regulations regarding vessels with a Federal Gulf Commercial Reef Fish Permit:
- Persons aboard the vessel can recreationally fish for red snapper when the private angling season is open if they declare they are recreationally fishing when they hail out through the vessel monitoring system or call-in system.
- This does not apply if the vessel also has a Federal Gulf Charter/Headboat Permit for Reef Fish (see above).
- While on a recreational trip, each person aboard is restricted to the bag limit, no commercial quantities of any reef fish species can be on board, and the fish may not be sold.
- Relevant regulations: 50 CFR 622.39(b), 622.28(e), 622.38(a)(2). These regulations can be viewed at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622.
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