Louisiana anglers are taking full advantage of the red snapper season that opened May 24, according to a release from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF).
The latest catch statistics recorded by LA Creel, the LDWF’s near real-time data collection program, is 62,179 pounds, or 8 percent of Louisiana’s allocation. This covers the period through May 26, 2019.
The season will remain open until recreational landings approach or reach Louisiana’s annual private recreational allocation of 816,439 pounds.
The private recreational red snapper season began on Friday, May 24 in both state and federal waters. This season will run weekends only (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, including the Monday of Memorial Day and Thursday of Fourth of July) with a daily bag limit of two fish per person and a 16-inch total length minimum size limit.
The 2019 season will remain open until private recreational landings approach or reach Louisiana’s private recreational allocation of red snapper approved under the EFP according to landings estimates from LA Creel.
Louisiana is operating under its second year of an EFP which allows the state to manage the private recreational red snapper season in state and federal waters. Under the EFP, participating anglers are allowed to fish red snapper in the state territorial seas and adjoining federal EEZ, from shore to 200 nautical miles, during the season set by the LDWF Secretary or Commission. NOAA Fisheries continues to regulate federal for-hire vessels (charter and headboats). State charter captains (those who do not have a federal Gulf of Mexico charter permit for reef fish) may only fish for red snapper in state waters when the state recreational red snapper season is open.
For more information on the 2019 red snapper season and detailed landing estimates, visit: http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/red-snapper.
The department urges anglers’ voluntary participation in its electronic reporting program to improve recreational harvest data collection. To learn how to participate in voluntarily reporting your catch, please reference the appropriate link below, depending on the make of your cellular device.
ROLP mobile app (Android phone)
ROLP mobile app (iPhone)
