News From NOAA Southeast: NOAA Announces Reopening of the 2024 Federal Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Recreational For-Hire Season

This Reopening Does Not Include The Recreational Private Angler Or State Charter Season

By: Rene LeBreton

Baton Rouge, Nov 15, 2024 - What/When:

The Gulf of Mexico federal red snapper federal for-hire season will reopen at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 18, 2024, and will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2025.
The 2024 Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishing season in federal waters for vessels with federal for-hire (charter/headboat) reef fish permits was 88 days (opened June 1, 2024, and closed at 12:01 a.m. local time on August 28, 2024).
Based on updated landings data, NOAA Fisheries determined that the red snapper recreational federal for-hire annual catch target was not reached during the open season. Therefore, NOAA Fisheries is reopening the season to provide Gulf of Mexico federally permitted for-hire fishermen opportunity to catch the remaining allocation.
Private and State Charter Anglers Note: This reopening does not include the recreational private angler or state charter season, which is determined by LDWF. The Louisiana state season for private recreational and state charter anglers is closed and is not expected to reopen until the spring or summer of 2025.

Why is the Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper federal for-hire season reopening?

The annual catch target for the federal recreational red snapper for-hire component is 3,076,322 pounds whole weight. NOAA Fisheries estimates that Gulf of Mexico recreational federally permitted for-hire fishermen only caught 2,193,710 pounds whole weight of the catch limit. This means 882,612 pounds whole weight of red snapper remains.
If the annual catch target for the red snapper federal for-hire component is not reached or exceeded during the normal open season, NOAA Fisheries may reopen this component to allow fishermen opportunity to catch the remaining allocation without greatly increasing the risk of exceeding the annual catch target or the overfishing limit.

For more information contact: NOAA Gulf Branch, 727-824-5305, Daniel.Luers@noaa.gov