Gulf Council Votes to Allow State Management of Red Snapper

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) approved the “Reef Fish Amendment 50: State Management for Recreational Red Snapper,” which delegates management authority of the private angling component for recreational red snapper fishing in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas federal waters from the Council to those states.

NMMA and its recreational boating and fishing partners applauded the decision, calling it a workable long-term solution for recreational red snapper fishing.

Each state will be allocated the portion of the recreational quota it initially requested in the 2018-2019 exempted fishing permit application, with the remaining 3.78% distributed between Florida and Alabama. Those values are as follows: Alabama, 26.298%; Florida, 44.822%; Louisiana, 19.120%; Mississippi, 3.550%; and Texas, 6.210%.

These suggested management changes will be transmitted to the Secretary of Commerce for final approval and implementation prior to the 2020 private recreational red snapper season.