Gulf red snapper sport season change proposed

Gulf red snapper sport season change proposed

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) proposed a draft rule Thursday to change the recreational harvest season for red snapper in Gulf of Mexico state waters. A final public hearing on this proposed action will take place during the FWC’s February meeting in Destin.

The FWC proposal would change the recreational red snapper harvest season in Gulf state waters from April 15 through Oct. 31 to June 1 through Sept. 30. This proposed action would be consistent with the red snapper closed season in Gulf federal waters.

Red snapper are considered to be overfished and undergoing overfishing in the Gulf. Shortening the fishing season in state waters will reduce the harvest of Gulf red snapper and help rebuild the fishery’s population.

The FWC also believes that adopting the same closed red snapper recreational season that exists in Gulf federal waters could reduce the need for further restrictions in the future.