Reminder – Gulf Red Snapper Will Close at Midnight, July 18, 2011

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council reminds anglers that the recreational season for Gulf red snapper in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will close at midnight, July 18, 2011. This closure was established to limit the harvest of red snapper in the Gulf and help rebuild overfished stocks so that anglers can enjoy better red snapper fishing in the future.

The recreational red snapper season, which is technically June 1 - September 30, has consistently closed early since it was established. In June, the Council asked NOAA Fisheries Service to develop an emergency rule that suspends the September 30 recreational red snapper closure date, giving the Regional Administrator more leeway to open a fall season if/when the quota is not met during the summer season.

The Gulf Council is working on an amendment that could revise the structure of the fall recreational snapper season. Currently, the three actions contained in the amendment are:

• Revise or eliminate the fixed closed season. Currently, the recreational red snapper season must close by September 30. Pushing back or eliminating the closure date will give the Council more management options.
• Allow weekends only, or weekdays only fishing periods. This gives the council more options for in-season management.
• Increase the 2012 red snapper Total Allowable Catch based on the 2011 red snapper rerun analysis.
  

Public hearings for this regulatory amendment will be held sometime after the August 2011 Council meeting.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans designed to manage fishery resources in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

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