December 7, 2022 — NOAA Fisheries has expanded the catch limits for both the commercial and the recreational red snapper fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
Despite “uncertainties” in the most-recent count of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico, NOAA increased the total annual catch limit by 300,000 pounds to 15.4 million pounds for 2023, and the overfishing limit from 15.5 million pounds to 25.6 million pounds. Of the annual catch limit, the share dedicated to commercial fishermen will move from 7.7 million pounds to 7.854 million pounds, representing 51 percent of the catch limit, and the recreational share will increase from 7.399 million pounds to 7.546 million pounds, or 49 percent of the total limit. Charter fishermen will receive 42 percent of the recreational catch limit, or 3.192 million pounds.