2019 Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Recreational Season Length Estimates for the Federal ForHire Component

Red snapper are managed in Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) federal waters from Texas to the west coast of Florida by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). The recreational sector in the Gulf includes a private angling component and a federal for-hire component. The federal for-hire component includes charter vessels and headboats with a federal charter/headboat permit for reef fish, allowing these vessels to fish in federal waters. For-hire vessels without a federal permit are restricted to fishing for red snapper in state waters only. The Gulf federal recreational fishing regulations for red snapper include a 16-inch total length minimum size limit, two-fish per person bag limit, and a federal season beginning on June 1 and ending when the component annual catch target (ACT) is projected to be caught. The ACT is set below the annual catch limit (ACL) to account for management uncertainty. 2019 NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) SER (Southeast Region) Submitted https://doi.org/10.25923/ytk7-f202 Public Domain 1861