NOAA Fisheries Issues Exempted Fishing Permits Authorizing State Management of Recreational Harvested Red Snapper in the South Atlantic in 2026

Key Message:

NOAA Fisheries issued exempted fishing permits (EFP) to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. The EFPs allow the states to pilot test state data collection and management strategies for the recreational harvest of red snapper in 2026. Specifically, the EFPs authorize participants to recreationally harvest red snapper in South Atlantic federal waters during extended 2026 fishing seasons. These extended seasons will take the place of the 2026 federal recreational red snapper season. The EFPs are intended to improve data on recreational fishing effort and catch of red snapper in the South Atlantic and to inform the development of a long-term state-led management strategy for the recreational harvest of red snapper.

State-specific recreational red snapper regulations for 2026:

The following is a general summary of each state's management measures for red snapper recreational harvest. The complete details on each EFP project are contained in the EFPs that NOAA Fisheries provided to the states.

Florida:

• Recreational Red Snapper Fishing Season: From May 22 through June 20, 2026, and October 2-4, October 9-11, and October 16-18, 2026
• Bag Limit:
  • 1 red snapper within a 10-fish snapper-grouper aggregate
  • The bag limit for a captain and crew on charter or headboat trip is zero
• Minimum Size Limit: None

Georgia:

• Recreational Red Snapper Fishing Season: July 1 through August 31, 2026
• Bag Limit:
  • 1 red snapper per person per day
  • The bag limit for a captain and crew on charter or headboat trip is zero
• Minimum Size Limit: None

South Carolina:

• Recreational Red Snapper Fishing Season: July 1 through August 31, 2026
• Bag Limit:
  • 1 red snapper per person per day
  • The bag limit for a captain and crew on charter or headboat trip is zero
• Minimum Size Limit: 20 inches total length (matching current state regulations)

North Carolina:

• Recreational Red Snapper Fishing Season: July 1 through August 31, 2026
• Bag and Vessel limits:
  • Private: 1 red snapper per person per day or 4 red snapper per vessel per day. The more restrictive of the bag limit or vessel limit applies
  • For-Hire vessels: The more restrictive of either the bag limit per paying angler or a vessel limit applies. The bag limit for a captain and crew on a charter or headboat trip is zero
    • Charter: On a charter vessel with six or fewer paying passengers, the bag limit per paying angler is 1 red snapper per day or the vessel limit is four red snapper
    • Headboat: On a headboat with more than 6 paying passengers, the bag limit per paying angler is 1 red snapper per day or the vessel limit is 20 red snapper
• Minimum Size Limit: None

Who is eligible to participate?

• Participating private anglers and for-hire operators who have the necessary state license(s) and federal permit(s) where fishing will occur and where they will land red snapper.
• Each fishing trip must begin and end at a landing location in the respective state in which participants are registered.

How do I find out more information:

More information on the EFP applications can be found at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/recreational-fishing-data/south-atlantic-red-snapper-state-data-collection-and-management .

For information on each state's requirements for recreational red snapper harvest, contact:

NOAA Fisheries will announce information on the 2026 South Atlantic commercial red snapper season at a later date.

Sign Up for Text Message Alerts - Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures

NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery-related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time. Comments sent by any other method (such as postal mail), to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered.

Text alerts you may receive include:

• Immediate fishery openings and closures
• Any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly

Sign up for one or more of the following groups:

• Gulf Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
  • Text GULFRECFISH to 888777
• Gulf Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
  • Text GULFCOMMFISH to 888777
• South Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Related Alerts
  • Text SATLRECFISH to 888777
• South Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Related Alerts
  • Text SATLCOMMFISH to 888777
• Caribbean Fisheries Related Alerts

Permits Mailbox: The Permits Office in St. Petersburg, Florida, now has a Permits mailbox in the front lobby (263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701). You can now drop off original permits for permit transfers. Envelopes with information labels will be provided so that your documents can be attached to the correct application. The mailbox will be checked daily. For more information, contact the Permits Office at 877-376-4877.

Contacts:

Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office

Media Contact: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750

Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202

Communications Specialist: Lauren Westcott 727-249-5881