Red snapper season approved for Carolina anglers

This angler shows off a nice red snapper he caught with Capt. Robert Olsen of Knot@Work Fishing Charters (843-442-7724).

Season will last six days

The federal waters off the coasts of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Zone, which includes both Carolinas, will open up to recreational fishing for red snapper for six days next month. The season will run Aug. 10 through Aug. 12, then again on Aug. 17 through Aug. 19.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, along with NOAA, approved the split season after looking at scientific data which shows an increase in the red snapper population over the past decade. This information helped them determine that a limited harvest will not result in overfishing or hinder the progress toward rebuilding a sustainable population that has already been made.

For recreational anglers in the Carolinas, this means they can harvest red snapper beginning one minute after midnight on Aug. 10 until one minute after midnight on Aug. 13. They can begin harvesting the fish again at one minute after midnight on Aug. 17 until one minute after midnight on Aug. 20.

The bag limit for anglers will be one red snapper per person, per day. This limit applies to private and for-hire vessels like charter boats and headboats, and the captains and crew members of these vessels are allowed that same limit.

No minimum or maximum size limit will be imposed during the red snapper season, so anglers can keep any size fish they desire for their daily limit.

The red snapper harvest has also been opened up to the commercial fishing sector. They will abide by a 75-pound, gutted weight limit per trip. Their season begins on July 26 and will run through Dec. 31, unless the commercial harvest limit of 124,815 pounds is met at an earlier date.

About Brian Cope 2726 Articles
Brian Cope is the editor of Carolina Sportsman. He has won numerous awards for his writing, photography, and videography. He is a retired Air Force combat communications technician, and has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of South Carolina. You can reach him at brianc@sportsmannetwork.com.

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