2 Gulf states: Recreational red snapper season opens Friday

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – Recreational red snapper seasons open Friday in state and federal waters off Louisiana and Mississippi. Openings are scheduled June 1 off Texas and Alabama and June 11 off of Florida’s west coast for anglers after the popular sport and table fish.

The states announced those dates in April, after the federal government authorized two-year experimental permits to let states along the Gulf of Mexico manage recreational seasons for red snapper.

Anglers off Louisiana need a new permit called a recreational offshore landings permit , as well as Louisiana basic and saltwater recreational fishing licenses. The offshore permit is free. They’re encouraged to use a mobile app or the permit website to report their catch.

Mississippi anglers must use the state Department of Marine Resources’ mandatory reporting program, called Tails N’ Scales .

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