Recreational fishing for red snapper ends July 16

Ann Taylor

This week will be your last opportunity to fish for red snapper in 2012.

The recreational fishing season for red snapper in Louisiana waters will close on Monday, July 16 at 11:59 p.m.

Regulations for red snapper fishery in the Gulf of Mexico include a quota for the recreational fishery. Based on an analysis to project 2012 red snapper recreational landings, NOAA Fisheries will close the red snapper fishery in federal waters on July 17 at 12:01 a.m. State waters will close two minutes prior to federal waters for clarity of the closure and ease of enforcement.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham was authorized by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at their January 2012 meeting to change or modify opening and closing dates for the recreational red snapper season in Louisiana waters to comply with changes or modifications in season dates in federal waters. This action ensures that regulations in state waters will be consistent with regulations for federally managed waters.

Federal waters are scheduled to remain closed until June 1, 2013.

A Notice of Intent to establish a new recreational season for red snapper in state waters was passed by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at their May 2012 meeting. If ratified, the new regulations would establish a weekend-only season, beginning the Saturday preceding Palm Sunday each year and end Sept. 30 of the same year, beginning in 2013. Bag limits would be modified to three fish per day at a 16 inch minimum. A weekend is defined as Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with the exception of Memorial Day and Labor Day, when Monday would be classified as a weekend as well.