Alabama announces starting date for Red Snapper Season

Red Snapper season will open on Friday, May 27. State and federal waters will be open to private and state-licensed charter vessel anglers for four-day weekends, Fridays through Monday. The closing date has not yet been determined.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Marine Resources Division (MRD) confirmed that season dates only apply to anglers fishing from shore, private recreational vessels and state-licensed Alabama commercial party boats that do not hold federal for-hire fishing permits. The season for federal for-hire anglers will be announced at a later date.

The state uses Snapper Check to monitor the red snapper season.

New for 2022

This year, venting tools will be required for all vessels fishing for reef fish in federal waters. A descending device rigged and ready to use will also be accepted. Also new for 2022, anglers on federally-permitted charter vessels may only fish during the days the state season is open.

“They may transit with red snapper during the days state waters are closed,” ADCNR stated in a press release. “Once the federal season is closed, they may not fish in state or federal waters.”

The operators of those vessels must have an Alabama Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement.

Reminders

Weekends open to red snapper harvest are defined as 12:01 a.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Monday.
The daily bag limit will be two red snapper per person, per day with a minimum size limit of 16 inches total length.
Anglers 16 years of age and older must have an Alabama saltwater fishing license (resident or non-resident, annual or trip), and any Alabama resident 65 or older or a lifetime saltwater license holder must have a current saltwater angler registration. The saltwater angler registration is free and available at outdooralabama.com/saltwater-fishing/saltwater-angler-registration.
All anglers 16 years of age and older who possess gulf reef fish, including red snapper, must have an Alabama Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement which is available at outdooralabama.com/saltwater-fishing/saltwater-reef-fish-endorsement.
Anglers under the age of 16 are not required to be licensed, possess an Alabama Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement or have saltwater angler registration, but their catch must be included in a landing report.
The owner or operator of each vessel landing red snapper in Alabama is required by law to complete one landing report per vessel trip of their harvested red snapper through Snapper Check prior to removing the fish from the boat or the boat with the fish being removed from the water. All landed red snapper are required to be reported prior to landing regardless of the jurisdiction in which the fish were caught. Greater amberjack and gray triggerfish are also required to be reported when the season is open and must be reported in Snapper Check.
Red snapper caught from non-powered vessels, piers and the shoreline are required to be reported through Snapper Check and require a Conservation ID number, game.dcnr.alabama.gov/CID.
A landing report may be submitted through Snapper Check in the Outdoor Alabama app, which is available from Apple and Android stores or online at outdooralabama.com.
Participation in a MRD creel survey or being inspected by enforcement officers is not considered reporting. Anglers must still report through Snapper Check even if encountered by MRD staff.
Operators of vessels with an Alabama Commercial Party Boat License without federal for-hire permits must abide by the state season, possess an Alabama Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement for charter vessels and may only fish inside the 9-mile state waters line. An Alabama Snapper Check landing report must be completed when landing red snapper in Alabama.
Possession of red snapper in state waters while the Alabama season is closed is prohibited. Anglers fishing under another state’s red snapper season, must abide by that state’s rules and land fish in that state. Individuals on vessels with recreationally caught red snapper may not transit Alabama state waters while the Alabama season is closed.
Operators of federally permitted for-hire boats must possess an Alabama Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement but are not required to report through Snapper Check; however, they must use NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program.