Florida announces longest Gulf red snapper recreational season in state history | FOX 35 Orlando
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Florida announces longest Gulf red snapper recreational season in state history

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Published  April 28, 2025 12:11pm EDT
FWC
FOX 35 Orlando

Gov DeSantis announces record breaking Gulf Recreational Red Snapper season

Governor Ron DeSantis announced the longest Gulf Recreational Red Snapper season in the states history. Season will be broken up into Summer and Fall consisting of 126 days total.

The Brief

    • Florida’s 2025 Gulf red snapper recreational season will be the longest in state history, lasting 126 days across summer and fall, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced. 
    • The season opens Memorial Day weekend and includes daily and weekend opportunities through December, with special holiday dates for Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the 2025 Gulf red snapper recreational fishing season will be the longest in the state’s history, spanning 126 days between summer and fall, during a news conference in Destin Monday. 

Summer season:

Timeline:

The summer season will open during Memorial Day weekend, May 24–26, and reopen daily from June 1 through July 31. 

Fall season:

Timeline:

The fall season will open daily from September 1–14 and then shift to weekends only—Friday through Sunday—through the end of the year.

Special fishing days will also be allowed on Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

  • Sept. 19-21, 26-28
  • Oct. 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, 24-26
  • Oct. 31-Nov. 2
  • Nov. 7-9
  • Nov. 11 (Veteran's Day)
  • Nov. 14-16, 21-23
  • Nov. 27-30 (Thanksgiving weekend)
  • Dec. 5-7, 12-14, 19-21
  • Dec. 25-28 (Christmas weekend)

Gulf Red Snapper | CREDIT: FWC

Who can participate in this fishing season?

What we know:

The season applies to recreational anglers fishing from private vessels in Florida Gulf state and federal waters. 

For-hire charter operators without a federal reef fish permit may also participate but are restricted to fishing only in Florida Gulf state waters.

What are the limits?

By the numbers:

The minimum size limit for red snapper remains 16 inches total length, with a daily bag limit of two red snapper per person. 

Red snapper are also included in the 10-per-harvester-per-day state snapper aggregate bag limit. Charter captains and crew are not allowed to retain red snapper.

You can find more information online through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

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The Source: The information in this article comes from the news conference held by Governor Ron DeSantis on April 28, 2025, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's website. 

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