The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries estimates that 934,367 pounds of red snapper were landed during the 2026 private recreational season. These landings were 5.7% (51,928 pounds) above our 882,439-pound Louisiana allocation. The 2026 allocation of 882,439 pounds included a payback of 52,148 pounds from the 2025 overage. The Louisiana private recreational allocation would have been 934,587 pounds without an overage applied.
Anglers were able to fish red snapper for 109 days during the 2026 season in Louisiana. Our weekly average for the season was 49,177 pounds, which is nearly double what it was the previous two years, and we had three weeks (26, 27, 30) this season that accounted for slightly over half (50.7%) of our allocation.
“We were excited to have an opportunity to offer a few extended holiday weekends with higher bag limits for our red snapper anglers this season,” said Secretary Tyler Bosworth. “We would like to thank all offshore anglers in Louisiana who have actively contributed to conservation and a very successful red snapper season by participating in the LA Creel process. We are looking forward to continuing this success in 2027.”
For more information on the 2026 red snapper season and detailed landing estimates, visit https://www.wlf.
