Red Snapper Data and Mandatory Reporting FAQs

2020 Alabama Red Snapper Season

Private recreational vessel anglers (including state-licensed only for-hire vessel anglers):

Dates: Weekends only (Friday-Monday) from Friday, May 22, 2020. The season is anticipated to last for 35 days and is scheduled to close on Friday, July 3, 2020

• Weekends are defined as 12:01 a.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Monday.

Size and Bag Limit: 16-inch total length; 2 per person, per day

Federally-permitted for-hire vessel anglers:

Dates: 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2020, and will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 2, 2020.

Size and Bag Limit: 16-inch total length; 2 per person, per day

All Anglers:

• Must have a valid Alabama saltwater fishing license, as required, when in possession of any saltwater fish species in Alabama waters.
• Harvested red snapper must be reported on one Snapper Check report per vessel trip before fish are landed in Alabama.
• Free Saltwater Angler Registration is required for all residents 16 and over who take, catch, kill, or possess fish or attempt to catch, kill or possess fish in the saltwater jurisdiction of Alabama.  This includes residents who are not required to purchase an annual saltwater license such as those over the age of 64, have a lifetime saltwater license or fish exclusively on a pier that has purchased a pier fishing license.
• A Reef Fish Endorsement is required for all resident and non-resident anglers 16 years of age and older, and includes disabled, veterans appreciation, 65 and older, lifetime license holders, pier licenses, annual saltwater licenses, trip licenses, commercial fishermen, and charter boats.
• Possession of red snapper in state waters while the Alabama season is closed is prohibited. Anglers fishing under another state’s season must abide by that state’s rules and land fish in that state. Individuals on vessels with red snapper may not transit Alabama state waters while the Alabama season is closed.

2020 Red Snapper Landings Summary for Private and State Charter Vessels 

2019 Red Snapper Exempted Fishing Permit for Alabama - FAQ and More

Preliminary Results of Alabama's 2014 Red Snapper Reporting.pdf

Preliminary Results of Alabama's 2015 Red Snapper Reporting.pdf

Preliminary Results of Alabama's 2016 Red Snapper Reporting.pdf

220-3-.83 Recreational Reporting of Red Snapper.

(1) The Captain or owner of any recreational or charter vessel possessing red snapper in the waters of the State of Alabama must report the harvest of said fish to the State of Alabama, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division, prior to landing the red snapper.

(a) For the purposes of this regulation, landing shall be defined as the removal of the fish from the vessel or the removal of the vessel from the water with the fish still onboard the vessel.

(b) The captain/owner of each recreational or charter vessel possessing red snapper shall provide the vessel identification number provided or specified by the Marine Resources Division, the total number of fishermen onboard the vessel, whether fishermen were required to be licensed or not, the total number of red snapper onboard and the total number of red snapper that were dead or floating when discarded.

(c) Vessels may report via online web page, smart phone application, standard touch tone telephone, by written forms placed in drop boxes provided at certain boating access locations or by other methods approved by the Marine Resources Division Director.

Why require mandatory reporting now?

The credibility of the current federal surveys used to estimate recreational red snapper harvests among private and charter anglers has been under ever increasing scrutiny. The estimate of Alabama’s 2013 red snapper harvest was twice as much as in 2012 yet the season length was nearly the same for both years.  Very few people would disagree that the Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery is improving.  In fact, recent stock assessments are showing signs that the stock is improving faster than expected.  However, recent changes to the federal law that governs how red snapper are managed have led to the imposition of stricter regulations each year with slim hopes for improvement. A timely and accurate method of counting fish such as the mandatory reporting program could improve the predicament we face in this fishery.

Who needs to report?

Representatives from recreational vessels with red snapper on board are required to report red snapper prior to landing fish in Alabama.  The captain or owner of the vessel with red snapper on board is the responsible party for reporting required information; however, anyone on the vessel can report the information.

How do I report the required information? 

Information can be reported through one of the following methods; smartphone app for iOS and Android devices found under the Outdoor AL App at respective app stores, online at www.outdooralabama.com, or on paper forms found at select coastal public boat launches. Only one report is required per trip with harvested red snapper.

What information is required on the report?

Required information includes the vessel registration number (state or federal), number of anglers on vessel, total number of red snapper harvested and discarded dead, county of landing, and trip type (private or charter). Date and time of report is required when submitting paper reports found at select coastal public boat launches.

Will reported data be checked for accuracy?

Although reporting is mandatory some trips may not be reported or the information being reported may not be accurate. In order to determine the rates of these unreported data, Marine Resources Division staff will visit coastal marinas and boat launches and interview anglers with red snapper catches. Dockside data will assist to adjust reported data for under- or over-reporting.  Validation procedures are needed to verify that the reported data encompasses a high number of actual trips. The higher the confidence fisheries managers have of the data the greater its value will be.

Why don’t I have to report weights and lengths?

Requiring anglers to measure and weigh fish using standardized methods would be problematic.  However, as the quota is measured in pounds of fish harvested weights and lengths will be collected by Marine Resources Division staff when conducting dockside interviews.  An average weight of fish will be applied to the number of harvested fish to generate the number of pounds harvested.

Do red snapper harvested from other state’s waters need to be reported?

Yes.  Regardless of where red snapper are harvested a vessel landing report will be required if landing fish in Alabama.  Landing is defined as when seafood is transferred from a vessel to land or to a pier, dock, bulkhead attached to land or when a vessel is hauled onto land via a trailer.

Will reported information be used to initiate enforcement investigations?

No. Enforcement action would only be triggered if an officer checked a person that landed red snapper and the snapper were not reported at the time of the check.  Confirmation numbers are provided when reports are completed using the app, phone and web and paper reports are uniquely numbered.

Should I participate in a creel survey if I completed a red snapper trip report?

Yes. The traditional survey methods used by federal fisheries managers to estimate effort and catches of red snapper and other species of fish will continue during the red snapper season and the remainder of the year.  Data from Alabama’s new reporting system will be compared directly to the estimates from those surveys when it comes available later this year.

Will this program increase the number of days I can fish for red snapper?

With your cooperation an accurate count of the fish harvested can be achieved. We will be able to compare landings from this program with the estimates generated from the federal surveys.  Whether the difference is measured by hundreds of thousands of pounds of tens of thousands of pounds remains to be seen. Either way, if landings from the mandatory reporting program match 2014’s estimate from the federal surveys it will reduce the uncertainty in the federal survey and could improve the outcome of future stock assessments. If landings from the mandatory program are much lower than the federal surveys’ estimate it could lead to an increased season length for future years because federal managers were overestimating average daily harvests when setting the season. Other Gulf States have either begun or will begin alternative approaches to collecting recreational red snapper landings information. Their results may also impact how red snapper are managed in the Gulf so stay tuned.

Have additional questions?  Email Marine Resources