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Georgia DNR is working with NOAA Fisheries to collect data on harvest, discards, and fishing effort during the red snapper recreational mini-season. We are also partnering with the South Atlantic Red Snapper Research Program once again this year to provide fin clips and corresponding ages for each fish. Recreational anglers will be allowed to harvest red snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic during the weekend of July 14-15, 2023.
Each recreational angler is allowed one red snapper per per per day with no size restriction.
If you decide to fish for red snapper, there are several ways you can help the Georgia DNR collect valuable data.
You can place your red snapper carcasses in a chest freezer located along the Georgia Coast. List of participating marinas and chest freezer locations. We are collecting fin clip samples as part of a genomic study for the South Atlantic and otoliths to determine the age of the fish. A $50 Academy Sports gift card will be randomly awarded to two participants who donate red snapper carcasses.
Biologists will also collect a small piece of fin tissue from harvested fish for a large-scale genetics study as part of the South Atlantic Red Snapper Research Project conducted by University of Florida, Texas A&M along with state partners throughout the region. The study employs a new technique called close-kin mark-recapture that uses genetic markers to identify closely related individuals (i.e., kin), which serves as a useful measure for quantifying the total number of red snapper in the Atlantic population.
You can provide information about each of your fishing trips by completing a brief Red Snapper Fishing Survey.
Anglers are encouraged to visit safmc.net/best-fishing-practices to learn more about releasing fish (e.g., videos of fish released with a descending device, how to use various types of devices, best practices to release fish). Descending devices rapidly descend fish to the depth at which they were caught. Releasing at depth has the potential to significantly improve survival. As of July 2020, NOAA Fisheries requires fishermen targeting snapper-grouper offshore to have a descending device rigged and ready to use onboard the vessel.
Additional information about the red snapper recreational mini-season can be found in the NOAA press release NOAA fisheries announces limited openings for recreational and commercial red snapper.
