SALTWATER RECREATIONAL SEASONS

Red Snapper: The season for the recreational harvest of red snapper will open at 12:01 a.m. June 1, 2008 in Louisiana state waters and in adjacent Federal waters.  The daily take limit of two red snapper per person will be in effect for the duration of the 2008 season.  The captain and crew of vessels under charter have a creel limit of zero.  The rules for Louisiana waters were established for the 2008 season as part of a broader set of regulations on harvest of reef fishes by the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at their February meeting.  The entire announcement of those rule changes can be viewed at:  http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/news/?id=901.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced rules for harvest of red snapper in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico federal waters in January, 2008. These regulations included recreational season information, as well as additional regulations on gear required to be aboard vessels fishing for reef fish in Federal waters. The announcement is available at the following link:

http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/bulletins/pdfs/2008/FB08-006%20A27_14%20final%20rule%20v2-1.pdf. 

NMFS announced change in the closure date for the recreational harvest of red snapper on March 25, 2008.  That closure date is currently set to be August 5, 2008.  The announcement of this rule change is available at

http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/bulletins/pdfs/2008/FB08-017%20Red%20Snapper%20Closure.pdf

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