15-45-MMS| June 25, 2015
BILOXI, Miss. – MDMR Executive Director Jamie Miller said Thursday that Mississippi anglers will be allowed to harvest Red Snapper in state waters from July 16 through Oct. 31.
Mississippi territorial waters will be open from 12:01 a.m. July 16 through 11:59 p.m. Oct. 31. The bag limit will be two Red Snapper per person with a minimum size of 16 inches.
“I believe a state season will have minimal impact on the resource and will benefit our local recreational anglers,” said Jamie Miller, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. “We want them to have every opportunity to fish for Red Snapper, and extending the state season through October will provide anglers greater flexibility to plan trips and will provide MDMR with additional landings data.”
In 2012 the state Legislature approved extending state waters to nine miles for fisheries management, and the law went into effect July 1, 2013. However, fishermen are reminded that the federal government does not recognize this distance, and anyone possessing Red Snapper farther than three miles south of the barrier islands could receive citations from federal law enforcement officers or federally deputized law enforcement. Fishing between three and nine miles in Mississippi waters is at the angler’s own risk.
Anglers also are required to participate in MDMR’s reporting program for Red Snapper. Officials have implemented several methods for fishermen to report their harvest, including a smartphone App, a website and a call center.
“The purpose of this electronic reporting system is to provide fishery managers the best available data to ensure Mississippi anglers the most opportunities and greatest flexibility for Red Snapper harvest,” said Matt Hill, director of MDMR’s Finfish Bureau. “The mandatory reporting system will provide for accurate and timely data that will be used for better resource management.”
The federal Red Snapper season ran from June 1-10, and Hill said there was a high compliance rate among anglers for that season.
Anglers with smartphones can download “Tails N Scales” in the iTunes App store or on Google Play. They also can use the website, www.tailsnscales.org or the App to create a profile and plan a trip. However, anglers must close out one trip before creating a new one.
They also can call 1-844-MSSNAPP (677-6277) to speak to a representative to create their profile and trip.
For more information on reporting data, go to the Red Snapper page at dmr.ms.gov.
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting and conserving marine interests of the state by managing all marine life, public trust wetlands, adjacent uplands and waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial, recreational, educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at www.dmr.ms.gov.
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