2026 Fall Atlantic Red Snapper Season in Florida: What Anglers Need to Know

Florida's 2026 fall recreational red snapper season on the Atlantic coast runs Oct. 9–22 for anglers who take part in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Atlantic Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) program. That's 14 days in Atlantic state and federal waters. Anglers who don't follow the EFP requirements are limited to the 3-day federal season, Oct. 9–11, in Atlantic federal waters only.

Participation is open access — there's no application — but it does take a few minutes of setup before your first trip. FWC's welcome video covers the basics.

2026 Florida Atlantic Red Snapper Season Dates

• FWC Atlantic EFP participants: Oct. 9–22 (14 days) in Atlantic state and federal waters.
• Nonparticipants: the federal season only, Oct. 9–11, in Atlantic federal waters.

You can fish one season or the other, not both. The EFP season covers Florida's Atlantic coast from the Florida/Georgia line south to the Florida Keys, and every trip must depart from and return to Florida. FWC encourages everyone to join the EFP: the trip data anglers report is what makes the longer season possible and informs future management. Details are on FWC's Atlantic red snapper page (opens in a new tab).

What You Need Before You Fish

For private recreational anglers fishing under the EFP:

1. A Florida saltwater recreational fishing license for everyone aboard, unless exempt. Check FWC's license exemptions (opens in a new tab) if you're unsure.
2. The State Reef Fish Angler designation. It's free and required for anglers fishing from a private boat who intend to harvest red snapper and other listed reef fish. Some license-exempt anglers — including those 65 and older — still need it. Anglers under 16 don't. Sign up through FWC's State Reef Fish Survey page (opens in a new tab) or anywhere Florida fishing licenses are sold.
3. A declared trip. Anglers 16 and older must declare each trip where red snapper may be harvested before leaving the dock (see below).
4. Paperwork aboard. Carry a copy of the EFP and your unique trip declaration on every red snapper trip. FWC links the EFP document from its red snapper page.
5. The right gear and limits. Follow the bag limits, the snapper grouper aggregate limit and the gear rules below.

Trip Declaration and Reporting

Trips are declared in the web-based FWC Atlantic Red Snapper Reporting System (opens in a new tab). Create an account (name, email and phone number), then declare before you leave the dock. Each angler 16 and older on a private boat declares; paying customers on a for-hire trip don't need to.

If you don't declare a red snapper trip, you may not keep red snapper, and the regular season, bag and size rules apply.

After the trip, FWC recommends (but doesn't require) reporting your catch, discards, region fished, descending device or venting tool use, depredation and time spent fishing. FWC also asks anglers to complete dockside surveys with FWC biologists and any surveys they receive by mail, email, text or phone. That data is what keeps state management of the fishery possible.

FWC's step-by-step tutorial walks through the reporting app.

Red Snapper Limits and Gear Requirements

On a declared EFP trip:

• Bag limit: one red snapper per person per day. Captain and crew on for-hire trips may not keep red snapper.
• Size limit: no minimum size limit.
• 10-fish snapper grouper aggregate: each angler may keep up to 10 reef fish in total, with species caps within it (for example, only 1 can be a red snapper and only 1 a greater amberjack). Other species still follow their own state and federal seasons, size limits and vessel limits. Once you hit 10 you must stop bottom fishing for reef fish, though you can keep fishing for species like dolphinfish, wahoo or kingfish. The aggregate applies only to declared red snapper trips.
• Gear: hook and line or spear only. Use a single-hook rig when fishing natural baits. North of 28° N. latitude, use non-stainless steel, non-offset circle hooks; south of it, non-stainless steel hooks.
• Barotrauma tools: in federal waters, a descending device must be rigged and ready. In state waters, a descending device or venting tool must be rigged and ready, and used on any fish showing barotrauma.
• Closed reefs: EFP participants can't fish the Key Biscayne Artificial Reef, Ft. Pierce Offshore Reef or Ft. Pierce Inshore Reef Special Management Zones.

The full species-by-species aggregate list is on FWC's Atlantic red snapper page (opens in a new tab).

Rules change. This summary reflects FWC's published 2026 season information as of October 2026. Always check current FWC and NOAA Fisheries regulations before you go.

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