RED SNAPPER
RECREATIONAL ANGLERS (PRIVATE AND FOR-HIRE):
Mississippi’s Red Snapper season closed for private recreational anglers and state for-hire vessels Monday, July 5, 2021 for a mid-season closure. The season will open on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. and close Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. The season will then reopen seven days a week beginning Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. with a projected close date of Sept. 6, 2021, at 11:59 p.m.
Mississippi Red Snapper season reopening for the upcoming weekend, then again on August 13
Size and Bag Limit: 16 inch minimum total length; 2 fish per person, per day
ALL ANGLERS:
A valid Mississippi saltwater fishing license is required while fishing or possessing any saltwater fish species in Mississippi waters.
Trip authorization prior to departure and subsequent reporting through MDMR’s Tails n’ Scales reporting system is mandatory for one angler per vessel, per trip.
Trip authorization numbers are valid for 24 hours and must be closed out before a new trip number will be issued.
The Tails n’ Scales electronic reporting system must be used to report Red Snapper that are landed in Mississippi, regardless of the harvested area (federal waters, Mississippi state waters, adjacent states’ waters, etc.).
Anglers will not be allowed to create trips after the season has closed; however they may still provide information to close trips.
REPORTING TO TAILS N’ SCALES
Choose one method. Preferred method is through the iPhone or Android App.
NEED HELP?
For additional assistance, contact us either at (228) 325-1585, or email at snapper@dmr.ms.gov.
RED SNAPPER SEASON FINALIZED RESULTS
- Total Harvest: 150,279 pounds
- Number Fish Harvested: 27,125
- Average Weight: 5.54 pounds
- Average Length: 21.32 Inches
- Trips: 5,423
- Effort: 3.80 Anglers/Vessel/Trip
- Harvest: 1.32 Fish/Angler/Trip
- Total Harvest: 131,914 pounds
- Number Fish Harvested: 22,126
- Average Weight: 5.82 pounds
- Average Length: 21.37 Inches
- Trips: 4,511
- Effort: 3.74 Anglers/Vessel/Trip
- Harvest: 1.31 Fish/Angler/Trip
- Total Harvest: 154,100 pounds
- Number Fish Harvested: 27,189
- Average Weight: 6.08 pounds
- Average Length: 21.91 Inches
- Trips: 4,185
- Effort: 4.36 Anglers/Vessel/Trip
- Harvest: 1.48 Fish/Angler/Trip
RED SNAPPER REGULATIONS INFORMATION
Federal law requires NON-stainless steel circle hooks when using natural baits while fishing for all reef species (snappers, trigger fish, groupers and amber jacks).
UPDATE: In February 2020, Amendment 50 was approved by both the Secretary of Commerce and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. This Amendment allows for the five Gulf states to individually manage their red snapper season. For more information, please click the link: www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/02/06/2020-01653/fisheries-of-the-carribean-gulf-of-mexico-and-south-atlantic-reef-fishery-of-the-gulf-of-mexico.
9 NAUTICAL MILE LINE FOR REEF FISH ONLY
Coordinates as Decimal Degrees
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1 - 30.165829; -89.096476
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2 - 30.098368; -88.855923
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3 - 30.082368; -88.827431
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4 - 30.092052; -88.811151
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5 - 30.082674; -88.766882
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6 - 30.082234; -88.727841
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7 - 30.074111; -88.690866
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8 - 30.071875; -88.655975
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9 - 30.065641; -88.616666
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10 - 30.064311; -88.605000
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11 - 30.064649; -88.564103
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12 - 30.055865; -88.540000
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13 - 30.048622; -88.509499
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14 - 30.040815; -88.456771
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15 - 30.050340; -88.379419
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16 - 30.158541; -88.384432
Coordinates as Degrees Minutes Seconds
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1 - 30° 9' 56.9838"; -89° 5' 47.313"
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2 - 30° 5' 54.1248"; -88° 51' 21.3228"
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3 - 30° 4' 56.5278"; -88° 49' 38.7552"
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4 - 30° 5' 31.3902"; -88° 48' 40.143"
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5 - 30° 4' 57.6264"; -88° 46' 0.7746"
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6 - 30° 4' 56.046"; -88° 43' 40.2306"
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7 - 30° 4' 26.799"; -88° 41' 27.1206"
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8 - 30° 4' 18.7494"; -88° 39' 21.5094"
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9 - 30° 3' 56.3112"; -88° 37' 0.0012"
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10 - 30° 3' 51.5232"; -88° 36' 18"
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11 - 30° 3' 52.74"; -88° 33' 50.7708"
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12 - 30° 3' 21.1176"; -88° 32' 24"
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13 - 30° 2' 55.0422"; -88° 30' 34.2"
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14 - 30° 2' 26.937"; -88° 27' 24.3756"
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16 - 30° 9' 30.7512"; -88° 23' 3.9588"
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16 - 30.158541; -88.384432
