NOAA Fisheries announced the opening of the 2013 commercial and the recreational red snapper fishing season (also known as the red snapper “mini-season” or “sport season”) in South Atlantic federal waters.

The recreational fishing season will open for one weekend made up of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The recreational red snapper season opens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 23, 2013, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 26 , 2013.  During the open recreational season, the bag limit is one fish per person per day and there is no minimum size limit for red snapper.  NOAA Fisheries may change the commercial and recreational season dates if severe weather conditions (like a hurricane or tropical storm) exist.  If severe weather conditions exist, NOAA Fisheries will announce via NOAA Weather Radio and a Fishery Bulletin any change in the red snapper fishing seasons.  After the conclusion of the recreational fishing season, red snapper may not be harvested or possessed under the bag limit in federal waters of the South Atlantic.