Scientific Name
Lutjanus vivanus
Stock Status
Overfishing – No
Overfished – Unknown
2023 Regulations
| Recreational | Commercial | ||
| Season | Open. *If landings reach the stock complex ACL, harvest will be prohibited for the remainder of the fishing year. | Season | Open. *If landings reach the stock complex ACL, harvest will be prohibited for the remainder of the fishing year. |
| Minimum Size Limit | none | Minimum Size Limit | none |
| Bag Limit | Within the 10-snapper aggregate bag limit which includes gray, mutton, yellowtail, cubera, queen, blackfin, wenchman, and silk snappers. | Trip Limit | none |
| Permit | State issued recreational license/angler registry, federal angler registry or Federal charter/headboat permit for reef fish | Permit | Commercial vessel permit for reef fish is required.Additionally, an eastern Gulf reef fish bottom longline endorsement required to use bottom longline for Gulf reef fish in the federal waters east of 85°30′ longitude. |
| Gear | Non-stainless steel circle hooks are required when fishing with natural baits. At least one dehooking device is required and must be used to remove hooks. | Gear | Non-stainless steel circle hooks are required when fishing with natural baits. At least one dehooking device is required and must be used to remove hooks. |
Harvest Limits
| Sector | Annual Catch Limit |
| Stock | Complex ACL for silk, queen, blackfin, and wenchman snapper – 166,000 pounds |
Description
Silk snapper, also called yellow eye snapper, lives from North Carolina south to Florida, including the Gulf of Mexico, east to Bermuda, and further south to Brazil. This fish is a rosy pink to red color on its sides and back, fading to a pinkish silvery color below. Its sides have faint wavy yellow lines. The fins are a pink to yellowish color; the tail fin has a dark reddish, black margin along the edge. At first glance, this fish may be mistaken for a red snapper but the silk snapper has a bright yellow eye and the anal fin is pointed.
Maximum observed age: Unknown
Age at maturity: Between 2 to 6 years1
Maximum weight: 18.30 pounds (8.3 kilograms)2
Maximum length: 32.68 inches (83 centimeters)3
Life History and Distribution
Silk snapper is common in tropical areas offshore in deep water (209 – 984 feet/64 – 300 meters) over sandy, rocky and coral bottoms. Younger fish are more common in shallower waters. Silk snapper spawns throughout the year with seasonal peaks occurring in the spring and summer months depending on the location.
References
- SEDAR 26, Caribbean Silk Snapper Final Stock Assessment Report, 2011
- IGFA All Tackle Record, Venice, Florida
- IGFA, 2001. Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.