What/When:
The 2022 red snapper fishing season for vessels with federal for-hire reef fish permits is 79 days in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf).
- The season for federally permitted for-hire vessels will begin at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2022, and will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 19, 2022.
Private Anglers Note: Each Gulf state will set the private angling season for state and federal waters. Please check with your state agency for specific dates.
How the Season Was Determined:
- The red snapper total recreational quota is 7,399,000 pounds whole weight. The private angling component is allocated 57.7% and the for-hire component is allocated 42.3% of the quota.
- For the for-hire component:
- The 2022 quota for the federal for-hire component is 3,130,000 pounds whole weight.
- The annual catch target for the federal for-hire component is 2,848,000 pounds whole weight, which is 91% of the quota.
- The number of days for the federal for-hire component to harvest its annual catch target was projected using recent catch rates and average weights of landed fish.
Regulations for Fishing in Federal Waters:
- Vessels with a Federal Gulf Charter/Headboat Permit for Reef Fish:
- Persons aboard a federally permitted for-hire vessel cannot fish for or possess red snapper in federal or state waters when the federal for-hire season is closed.
- If the federal permit is transferred off the vessel, persons aboard the vessel cannot, at any time during that fishing year, fish for or possess red snapper in federal waters when the federal for-hire season is closed.
- These restrictions apply even if the vessel is not acting as a charter vessel; for example, the captain is taking his family fishing.
- These restrictions apply regardless of any other permit on the vessel.
- Relevant regulations: 50 CRF 622.39(c) and 622.41(q)(2)(iii)(B). These regulations can be viewed at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622.
- State licensed for-hire vessels without a Federal Gulf Charter/Headboat Permit for Reef Fish:
- The delegation of management to the Gulf states for the red snapper private angling component does not allow for-hire vessels to fish for or possess red snapper in or from federal waters without a federal for-hire permit.
- Please see state regulations relative to fishing for red snapper in state waters.
- Vessels with a Federal Gulf Commercial Reef Fish Permit:
- Persons aboard the vessel can recreationally fish for red snapper when the private angling season is open if they declare they are recreationally fishing when they hail out through the vessel monitoring system or call-in system.
- This does not apply if the vessel also has a Federal Gulf Charter/Headboat Permit for Reef Fish (see above).
- While on a recreational trip, each person aboard is restricted to the bag limit, no commercial quantities of any reef fish species can be on board, and the fish may not be sold.
Relevant regulations: 50 CFR 622.39(b), 622.28(e), 622.38(a)(2). These regulations can be viewed at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the quotas and annual catch targets for 2022?
- The quota for red snapper in the Gulf for both the commercial and recreational sectors is 15.1 million pounds whole weight. The recreational sector is allocated 49% of that total, which is 7,399,000 pounds whole weight. The federal for-hire component is allocated 42.3% of the recreational sector quota.
- The federal for-hire annual catch target is 91% of its quota. This buffer helps minimize the potential for a quota overage.
| Sector or
Component |
2022 quota
(pounds whole weight) |
2022 Annual Catch Target
(pounds whole weight) |
| All Recreational |
7,399,000 |
n/a |
| Federal for-hire |
3,130,000 |
2,848,000 |
| Private angling |
4,269,000 |
3,415,000 |
How is the season length determined?
- The season is set based on the annual catch target.
- The annual catch target is the same this year as it was last year.
- In setting the season, daily catch rates are assumed to be the same as in recent years.
- Because the daily catch rate was lower from 2019-2021 than it had been in the recent past, the season length will increase to 79 days this year.
Where can I find more information on the red snapper fishery in the Gulf?
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