Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of America, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of America; Accountability Measure for Recreational Harvest of Red Snapper in Federal Waters off Louisiana
Key claim: NMFS is reducing Louisiana’s 2026 red snapper annual catch limit in Gulf federal waters to account for recreational overage in 2025, as required by the applicable accountability measure.
Abstract
(Rule · Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Recreational landings of red snapper in Louisiana during 2025 exceeded the annual catch limit (ACL) apportioned to the state for the private angling component of the recreational sector. According to the accountability measure (AM), NMFS reduces Louisiana’s 2026 ACL for red snapper in the Gulf of America (Gulf) by the amount of the overage in 2025. NMFS implements this AM for the 2026 fishing year to protect the red snapper resource in the Gulf.
Why this matters
NMFS is reducing Louisiana’s 2026 red snapper annual catch limit in Gulf federal waters to account for recreational overage in 2025, as required by the applicable accountability measure.