Red snapper fishing seasons announced for Mississippi and South Atlantic states

Mississippi has announced that its red snapper season for private recreational anglers and state for-hire vessels will reopen from Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, through Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. Anglers may harvest two red snapper per person per day with a 16-inch minimum size limit. The season may extend to weekends only if sufficient pounds remain on the annual catch limit.

In the South Atlantic, Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia are proposing a strictly monitored fall harvest season from Oct. 1–31, 2026, following a lawsuit that halted the summer season. Under this proposal, bag limits would be one red snapper per person per day, and captains or crew on for-hire boats would be prohibited from retaining limits. South Carolina has proposed a 20-inch minimum length limit, while no size limits are currently proposed for Georgia or Florida.

Additional NOAA Fisheries openings for 2026 include Gray Triggerfish (Aug. 1–Dec. 31), Greater Amberjack (Sept. 1–Oct. 13), and Gag Grouper (Sept. 1–Sept. 30).