The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will collect Red Snapper carcasses from recreational fishermen during the upcoming Red Snapper-mini season.
The division has set up five temporary freezer locations, in addition to the ten carcass collection locations available throughout the year, where recreational fishermen can take their Red Snapper carcasses.
The year-round locations are (map available here):
Anglers who donate a Red Snapper carcass will receive a citation (certificate) from the N.C. Saltwater Fishing Tournament.
When cleaning the fish, anglers should leave the head and tail intact and, if possible, leave the guts in the fish. Anglers who fished on a charter boat or head boat should let the fish cleaner know the carcass will be donated.
Instructions on how to deposit the carcasses are posted on each freezer. Anglers will be asked to give information related to how and when the fish was caught. Fishermen also will be asked for their names and addresses if they wish to receive a citation.
Division biologists will measure the fish, determine the sex, if possible, and remove the otoliths (ear bones) to determine the age of the fish. The information collected will be provided to the National Marine Fisheries Service for use in future Red Snapper stock assessments.
Recreational anglers also may log information about their recreational trips and catches through the MyFishCount electronic reporting mobile app. The app is available for free download at the Google Play and Apple App Store or through the MyFishCount website. Reports of the number of harvested and released fish will improve the accuracy of National Marine Fisheries Service’s catch estimates.
The 2022 recreational Red Snapper season will open for two days – Friday and Saturday July 8-9. The season officially opens at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 8 and closes at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, July 10.
Anglers may keep one fish per person per day. There will be no minimum or maximum size limit. Captain and crew on for-hire vessels may retain the recreational bag limit.
The commercial Red Snapper season will open at 12:01 a.m. July 11, 2022, with a 75-pound gutted weight trip limit. The season will close at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1, 2023, or when the commercial quota is met (whichever comes first). Division biologists will obtain data from commercially caught Red Snapper at the fish houses. Commercially caught carcasses should not be left in the Carcass Collection Program freezers.
Gear regulations implemented in previous years for commercial, for-hire, and recreational snapper-grouper fishing remain in effect. The regulations require:
For specific recreational harvest regulations, go to Proclamation FF-36-2022. For specific commercial harvest regulations, go to Proclamation FF-37-2022.
Read the NOAA Fisheries announcement of the Red Snapper season here.
More information on best fishing practices, including how-to videos for rigging descending devices, can be found here.
Read more about North Carolina’s Red Snapper carcass collection program here, or, for more information, contact Sara Pace, division age lab biologist, at (252) 808-8078 or sara.pace@ncdenr.gov.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified the first state record Spanish Hogfish (Bodianus rufus), which was also certified as the All-Tackle World Record in 2021. Dr. Robert W. Timson of Southport caught the 2-pound, 11-ounce fish offshore of Frying Pan Tower nearly a year ago, on July 17, 2021. The fish measured 18 inches [...] Fishing | Full Article
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will collect Red Snapper carcasses from recreational fishermen during the upcoming Red Snapper-mini season. The division has set up five temporary freezer locations, in addition to the ten carcass collection locations available throughout the year, where recreational fishermen can take their Red Snapper carcasses. The temporary locations are: Bridge [...] Fishing | Full Article
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified the first state record Spanish Hogfish (Bodianus rufus), which was also certified as the All-Tackle World Record in 2021. Dr. Robert W. Timson of Southport caught the 2-pound, 11-ounce fish offshore of Frying Pan Tower nearly a year ago, on July 17, 2021. The fish measured 18 inches [...] Fishing | Full Article
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will collect Red Snapper carcasses from recreational fishermen during the upcoming Red Snapper-mini season. The division has set up five temporary freezer locations, in addition to the ten carcass collection locations available throughout the year, where recreational fishermen can take their Red Snapper carcasses. The temporary locations are: Bridge [...] Fishing | Full Article
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified a new state record Graysby Grouper (Cephalopholis cruentata) that may also be a world record. Edward J. Tait of Little River, S.C. caught the 3-pound, 0.8-ounce fish offshore of Ocean Isle Beach on June 30. The previous state record Graysby Grouper weighed 2 pounds, 3 ounces, and was [...] Fishing | Full Article
As July 4th approaches and families prepare for cookouts and long days on the beach, many people will be on the water or shorelines with a rod in hand looking for their next catch. With fishing in full swing this season, anglers are getting in as much time on the water as they can before [...] Fishing | Full Article
One newly amended marine fisheries rule will go into effect July 1. The change clarifies definitions and formalizes procedures for transferring ownership or subleasing of a shellfish lease. As amended, 15A NCAC 03O .0209 (Assignment of Shellfish Leases and Franchises) defines a transfer as a permanent assignment of a shellfish lease or franchise, and it [...] Fishing | Full Article
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting proposals for the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Program for federal fiscal year 2023. The Request for Proposals is published on the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries BIG website. BIG is a grant program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that reimburses up to 75 percent of [...] Fishing | Full Article
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is reminding potential shellfish lease applicants that the 2022 application period ends Aug. 1. The division accepts shellfish bottom lease and water column applications annually from March 1 through Aug. 1. The applications must be either postmarked or dropped off at the Division Headquarters Office at 3441 Arendell Street, [...] Fishing | Full Article
Reading maps for marine fisheries rules just got a lot easier! The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries has launched a new interactive mapping tool to assist the public with finding and using maps associated with rules. The Common North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission Rules application replaces the old, static maps and is useful to both [...] Fishing | Full Article
On July 4, anglers of any age or residency status will be allowed to fish without a license in North Carolina from 12 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. Free Fishing Day, sponsored by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, is an annual event that was authorized by the N.C. General Assembly in 1994 and always falls on [...] Fishing | Full Article
Fifteen lucky participants won $100 each in a yearly drawing held by the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Multi-Species Tagging Program. The tagging program randomly selected tag numbers from over 664 fish tags that were turned in by participants in 2021. Three tag numbers were selected from each of the five species that are tagged [...] Fishing | Full Article
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified the first state record Pompano Dolphinfish (Coryphaena equiselis), and it may break the world record. Charles Kenneth Noonan of Sumter, S.C. caught the 11-pound, 5.4-ounce fish at an abandoned raft, about 42 miles off Ocean Isle Beach on June 8. Noonan said he is applying to the International [...] Fishing | Full Article
(c) 2022 Island Free Press | Hyperlocal News Platform by MSP Media