Reduced from 11 days after recalculation of catch target and MRIP data
The already-short red snapper season apparently just got a couple of days shorter.
According to a news release from the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, the 2014 recreational red snapper season now stands officially at just nine days, down from the 11-day season scheduled in April.
It will open in federal waters at 12:01 a.m. on June 1 and close at 12:01 a.m. on June 10, with a two-fish bag limit and 16-inch minimum total length size limit.
At its April meeting the Council requested an emergency rule to revise recreational accountability measures for snapper by applying a 20-percent buffer to the recreational quota, which results in a catch estimate of 4.312 million pounds.
After recalculating the season length based on the annual catch target and including 2013 Marine Recreational Information Program data, NOOA Fisheries settled on a 9-day season, the release states.
As we get more information on the new season length, we’ll share it with you here.
