November 17, 2025 — After years of concerns, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is asking for a change in the red snapper season that it says would benefit both fishermen and the economy.
Fishermen in South Carolina are currently only allowed to go after red snappers for two days in July. Local marine wildlife officials said those limitations are based on unreliable data.
“As our application notes, Marine Recreational Information Program catch estimates of red snapper regularly carry standard errors exceeding 50%, making them unreliable and not suitable for use and management,” DNR chief Tom Mullikin said.
The DNR proposal, in partnership with state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch of Murrells Inlet, the South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance and the Coastal Conservation Association South Carolina, would not put data collection in the hands of the state and extend the season to 61 or 62 days.