Alabama state waters and federal waters will open to private vessel anglers for red snapper fishing on Friday, May 28, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) Marine Resources Division (MRD) announced.

The season will consist of four-day weekends, Friday through Monday, and continue until the private angler quota is projected to be met, said David Rainer of the ADCNR. The season dates apply only 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 at 12:01 a.m. through Aug. 3 at 12:01 a.m.

As in recent years, Alabama’s Snapper Check system will monitor red snapper catches and provide semi-weekly updates at outdooralabama.com. The Alabama private angler quota has not been provided by the National Marine Fisheries service but is anticipated to be similar to the 2020 quota of 1,122,662 pounds, Rainer said. When the quota is anticipated to be met, MRD will announce a closure date.

Anglers are reminded of the following:

• Weekends 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, with a minimum size limit of 16 inches total length.
• Anglers older than 16 must have an Alabama saltwater fishing license (resident or nonresident, annual or trip). 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.
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  Alabama uses the Snapper Check system to track the number of red snapper caught in the state’s Gulf waters. (David Rainer/Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources)

  All anglers 16 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 younger than 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.
• Each vessel landing red snapper in Alabama is required by law to complete one landing report per vessel trip of the harvested red snapper through Snapper Check prior to removing the fish from the boat, or of the boat with the fish being removed from the water. All red snapper landed are required to be reported prior to landing regardless of the jurisdiction in which they are caught. Greater amberjack and gray trigger fish are also required to be reported and may be included in the same report.
• Red snapper caught from nonpowered vessels, piers and the shoreline are required to be reported through Snapper Check and require a Conservation ID number, https://game.dcnr.alabama.gov/CID.
• A landing report may be submitted through Snapper Check in the Outdoor AL app, which is available from Apple and Android stores or online at outdooralabama.com. Paper reports and drop boxes are no longer available.
• 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 fish only inside the 9-mile state waters line. An Alabama 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. People on vessels with red snapper may not transit Alabama state waters while the Alabama season is closed.

Anglers on federally permitted charter vessels may fish in state waters only during the days the state season is open, Rainer said. They may transit with red snapper during the days state waters are closed. Once the federal season is closed, they may not fish in state or federal waters. Owners and operators of federally permitted charter vessels are required to possess an Alabama Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement and submit an Alabama Snapper Check landing report prior to red snapper, gray triggerfish or greater amberjack being landed in Alabama.