June 11th starts Recreational Red Snapper Season in Gulf state and federal waters

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced that the recreational red snapper season will start June 11 in Gulf state and federal waters and remain open through July 12, closing July 13.

Anglers fishing from private recreational boats will need to sign up as a Gulf Reef Fish Angler to target red snapper and several other reef fish in Gulf state and federal waters (excluding Monroe County), even if they are exempt from fishing license requirements. Sign up as a Gulf Reef Fish Angler at no cost at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or by visiting any location you can purchase a license.

For-hire operations that do not have a federal reef fish permit may also participate in this 32-day season but are limited to fishing for red snapper in state waters only. These operators must have State Gulf Reef Fish Charter on their license to target red snapper and other reef fish in Gulf state waters (excluding Monroe County). This can be done at no cost at a local tax collector’s office.

According to FWC, Gulf Reef Fish Anglers might receive a questionnaire in the mail regarding their reef fish trips as part of Florida’s Gulf Reef Fish Survey. The Gulf Reef Fish Survey was developed specifically to provide more robust data for management of red snapper and other important reef fish and has allowed FWC the unprecedented opportunity to manage Gulf red snapper in state and federal waters.

For anglers who want to share catch information with FWC electronically, the Angler Action Foundation has developed a smartphone app for logging red snapper fishing trips. This app is available on your phone’s app store by searching for iAngler Gulf Red Snapper for private anglers or iAngler Gulf Red Snapper Charter if you are a charter operation.  By using iAngler to log catches during red snapper season and beyond, anglers can provide FWC researchers with valuable insights about their trips.

Learn how to use this app in a webinar led by the Angler Action Foundation at 6 p.m. Monday, June 10, at FWC.AdobeConnect.com/mfm.

Whether you use the iAngler app, provide data dockside to FWC staff or receive a Gulf Reef Fish Survey in the mail, the data you provide helps FWC learn more about the fisheries we all enjoy. If you receive a survey in the mail, please respond whether you fished this season or not.

You can learn more about the recreational red snapper season in Gulf state and federal waters, including season size and bag limits, by visiting MyFWC.com/Marine and clicking on “Recreational Regulations” and “Snappers,” which is under the “Regulations by Species – Reef Fish” tab.

The federal season for for-hire operations with federal reef fish permits is June 1 through August 1, 2019.

Happy Fishing!