Florida approves expanded 2026 fall Atlantic red snapper season

NOAA Fisheries has approved the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s revised Exempted Fishing Permit, giving Florida anglers a 14-day fall Atlantic red snapper season beginning this October.The season will run continuously from Oct. 9 through Oct. 22, 2026, and will be open to all private recreational anglers and for-hire operations fishing in Florida’s Atlantic state and federal waters.What anglers need to knowTo participate, private anglers and for-hire captains must have all appropriate licenses and permits in place before heading out.Participants are also required to declare all red snapper trips through the FWC Atlantic Red Snapper Reporting app and carry both a copy of their trip declaration — obtained through the app — and Florida’s EFP, which can be downloaded from the FWC website, on their vessel at all times.The season comes with the following regulations:Bag limit: One red snapper per person, with no minimum size limitFor-hire: No retention allowed for captain