Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday announced the dates for the 2025 red snapper fishing season in the Gulf of Mexico, with a record 126 days slated to be open through the end of the year. The season is not one consecutive block but rather a series of multi-day periods in which fishermen can harvest red snapper off Florida’s Gulf Coast.
With this year’s expanded season, major federal holidays will be open for fishing such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving. State officials are hopeful this move will tap into a prized resource of table fish in Florida’s waters.
Reactions from State Officials
“We want to thank Governor DeSantis for once again demonstrating Florida’s commitment to being the Fishing and Boating Capital of the world,” said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Chair Rodney Barreto. “With more weekend and holiday opportunities, families will have more chances than ever to enjoy Florida’s unparalleled fishing opportunities and create long-lasting memories.”
“Florida is the fishing capital of the world—with 4 million licensed anglers and generations of families who enjoy our waters. After setting a record last year, we’re doing it again with the longest Gulf red snapper season in state history, giving Floridians and visitors even more time to fish on Florida’s waterways,” DeSantis said. “Smart state management of Gulf waters has allowed us to offer these record-breaking opportunities to Floridians year after year.”
“The Gulf recreational red snapper season is a highly anticipated and celebrated event for anglers nationwide, emphasizing Florida’s exemplary fishing resources,” added Florida FWC Executive Director Roger Young. “This record-long season results from the strong data collected through the State Reef Fish Survey, which Governor DeSantis, the Florida Legislature, and our recreational anglers have consistently supported.”
Gulf of Mexico’s Red Snapper Population
The red snapper is a reef fish considered to be vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The fish occurs along the Atlantic coast of the United States and in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, though the Gulf is considered a hotbed area for commercial harvesting.
Data from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) cites a decline in the Gulf snapper population in the 1980’s through to the 2000’s, at which point the species was below 5% of its spawning potential. Since the mid-00’s the red snapper has rebounded considerably, and is approaching its goal of 26% spawning potential sometime in the 2030’s. The decision to open a record-breaking red snapper fishing season may stall this progress. Still, the population has increased even as season lengths have risen in the 21st century.
2025 Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Season
The dates for red snapper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico are as follows, per the office of Governor Ron DeSantis.
- September 1 –14
- September 19 – 21
- September 26 – 28
- October 3 –5
- October 10 – 12
- October 17 – 19
- October 24 – 26
- October 31 – November 2
- November 7 – 9, 11 (Veterans Day)
- November 14 –16,
- November 21 – 23
- November 27 – 30 (Thanksgiving weekend)
- December 5 – 7
- December 12 –14
- December 19 – 21
- December 25 – 28 (Christmas weekend)
