Will Alabama get short changed on red snapper season?
Today 2:00 AM
Many Alabama anglers, charterboat operators, beachside resort owners, marinas and others in south Alabama tourism may have breathed a sigh of relief when the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council recently recommended very little change in the red snapper season harvest limits for the state, but that relief may be short-lived.
A newly-released in-depth study known as the “Great Red Snapper Count”, (GRSC) completed by over 20 respected marine scientists, indicates there are at least three times the number of red snappers two-years-old and older in the Gulf than previously estimated. Despite this, the Council has indicated it will revisit allocations in 2023 and may cut harvests for both Alabama and Mississippi in half at that time. The impact on coastal businesses would be notable because many families plan their summer vacations to coincide with the snapper season.
By DAVID RAINER
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Alabama’s 2021 red snapper season for private recreational anglers will be different than in previous years. The season opens on May 28 with four-day weekends like last year’s season, but the closing date has not been set. The end of the season will be determined by catch data compiled through the Red Snapper Reporting System, better known as Snapper Check.
“What we’re doing different this year is we’re going to track the private recreational catch through Snapper Check, and when the quota is about to be met, we’ll project a closing date,” said Scott Bannon, Director of the Alabama Marine Resources Division (MRD). “There are so many factors that impact the fishing effort, and that makes it difficult to determine a closure date. We will provide a graph on our red snapper summary page at outdooralabama.com for anglers to see how the effort is progressing. Once we anticipate the quota will be met
Alabama Red Snapper Seasons Set
Updated 2:00 AM;
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Marine Resources Division has announced state and federal waters will open to private vessel anglers for red snapper fishing on Friday, May 28, 2021. The season will consist of four-day weekends, Friday through Monday, and continue until the private angler quota is projected to be met.
The season dates apply to anglers fishing from recreational vessels and state-licensed Alabama commercial party boats that do not hold federal for-hire fishing permits. Anglers fishing from federally permitted for-hire vessels have their own 63-day season beginning June 1, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. local time through August 3, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. local time.
Great Red Snapper count may have little impact on 2021 season gulfcoastnewstoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gulfcoastnewstoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Great Red Snapper Count May Have Little Impact on 2021 Season
Last week’s meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council (Gulf Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) yielded mixed results for red snapper anglers.
The SSC voted to partially incorporate the Great Red Snapper Count, which estimated the red snapper population in the Gulf is three times higher than previous estimates, into the Gulf Council management process. However, that action may have little impact on the 2021 red snapper season.
“The Scientific and Statistical Committee is the science advisory panel for the Gulf Council,” said Scott Bannon, Director of the Alabama Marine Resources Division. “The purpose of the meeting was to review the Great Red Snapper Count, provide feedback and decide if it should be used in the interim analysis for red snapper this year and how it should be applied.