NOAA Fisheries announces extended 2026 red snapper season

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries is extending the 2026 red snapper harvest season by one day, they announced in a release Monday.

The 2026 federal recreational red snapper fishing season in the South Atlantic will open for harvest for three days at 12:01 a.m., local time, on Oct. 9, through 12:01 a.m., local time, on Oct. 12. NOAA said this is one day longer than the 2025 two-day recreational season.

Officials say there will be a limit of one fish per person per day, but there is no minimum size limit.

NOAA Fisheries also announced exempted fishing permits (EFP) for Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. Eligible EFP participants can participate in an extended recreational red snapper fishing season from Oct. 9 through Oct. 22.

This extension is limited to landing or possessing recreationally harvested red snapper only under their EFPs, not in addition to the federal recreation season.

The EFPs authorize 2026 harvest limits of:

• 83,720 fish for Florida
• 4,859 fish for Georgia
• 8,695 fish for South Carolina

NOAA Fisheries estimates these fish will be harvested within 14 days under the EFPs.

After reviewing data on the October season and other information, NOAA Fisheries said they will jointly determine with each state if a second season may take place in December 2026.

NOAA Fisheries said their goal is to work together with the states to improve recreational data collection and determine potential benefits of management strategies to keep catches within sustainable levels.