Red Snapper season ends today. State for-hire vessels are projected to reach their quota for Red Snapper, and the season will end at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 10th.
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources has determined that the 2,800-pound quota allocated to the state for-hire fishery will be met. This requires that the season close based on guidelines defined in Mississippi’s exempted fishing permit.
Vessels with a federal for-hire permit can fish for Red Snapper until 12:01 a.m. Sunday, July 22nd.
The season for private recreational anglers currently is projected to run through Labor Day with a possible closure from July 9-22nd. The mid-season closure is to ensure that Mississippi’s annual quota of 137,949 pounds is not met before Labor Day and depends on the number of pounds caught by July 4th.
Anglers who fish for Red Snapper are required to register their trip through Tails n’ Scales, MDMR’s reporting program They must create a profile and start a trip before going fishing for Red Snapper. Anglers must have a trip number when they are out on the water and must report their catch within 24 hours. They also must close out one trip before creating a new one.
Anglers caught without an authorization number will be fined and their fish confiscated.
Tails n’ Scales is available through a smartphone app, a website and a call center. The app is available in iTunes and Google Play, and the website is tailsnscales.org. Fishermen also can call 1-844-MSSNAPP (677-6277) to speak to a representative if they don’t have access to a smartphone or computer.
For questions regarding the Tails n’ Scales system or to report any issues, call 228-697-5762.
MDMR added that anyone using the app must download the latest update before creating a trip this year.
