South Atlantic Snapper Season is Back On!

With exempted fishing permits, anglers in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina will get 14 days to harvest red snapper this fall. John Frazier

A 14-day fall red snapper season will be allowed for recreational anglers off South Carolina, Georgia and Florida under newly approved exempted fishing permits (EFP). It’s not the expansive summer season that was approved for 2026 and then canceled at the last minute, but it’s an improvement from the one- or two-day seasons of recent years.

On Sept. 21, NOAA Fisheries announced a federal recreational red snapper season in the South Atlantic from Oct. 9-11. At the same time, EFPs were issued for all three states that will allow eligible participants to harvest red snapper from Oct. 9-22, after which time NOAA Fisheries and the states will huddle up to decide if an additional December season will be allowed. A strict one-fish-per-person, per-day catch limit for red snapper will be enforced in all three states.

The EFPs issued to Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, will allow the states to pilot test new data collection and management strategies for red snapper in state and federal waters. State agencies have worked diligently with NOAA Fisheries to develop these new modernized data collection techniques.

“We appreciate the states’ perseverance and believe that their efforts are going to pay off with better data that will increase both recreational access and faith in the fisheries management system,” said Pat Murray, president and CEO of Coastal Conservation Association. “We look forward to working with the state agencies to establish the new data systems and begin building a better future for recreational angling in the South Atlantic.”

Here’s a breakdown of the fall red snapper season for each state: Florida

Oct. 9-22 season will be open to properly licensed private anglers and for-hire charter and head boats. Each vessel must register with FWC and carry EFP documentation aboard the vessel. Florida’s total harvest limit is 83,720 red snapper. The daily bag limit is one red snapper per angler within a 10-fish aggregate bag limit. Once the aggregate limit is reached, in any combination of species, bottomfishing must cease.

All trips must depart and return out of Florida, and private anglers must register and report fishing effort and catch data through FWC’s State Reef Fish Survey. Private anglers are encouraged to use a voluntary smartphone app for trip declarations and catch reporting within 24 hours of a trip’s end. For-hire vessels must continue reporting through the federal system.

Georgia

Oct. 9-22 season will be open to properly licensed private anglers and for-hire charter and head boats. Georgia’s total harvest limit is 4,859 red snapper. The daily bag limit is one red snapper per person, per day. Captain and crew may not retain any.  

Trips must begin and end in Georgia, and all participating private anglers must register, declare trips, obtain authorization codes and submit trip reports within 24 hours of a trip’s departure. For-hire vessels will continue using the federal reporting system.

South Carolina

Oct. 9-22 season will be open to properly licensed private anglers and for-hire charter and head boats. South Carolina’s total harvest limit is 8,695 red snapper. The daily bag limit is one red snapper per person, with a minimum size of 20 inches total length. Captain crew on for-hire boats may not retain red snapper.

All trips must leave and return out of South Carolina, and all participants must register and report trips through the VESL app. Trip reports with required reporting must be submitted within 24 hours of each trip departure.

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