VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — It’s Red Snapper Day, the one day this year when anglers can fish for Atlantic Red Snapper recreationally! The season opened Friday morning at midnight and ends at midnight Friday night.
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The one-day season poses some challenges for fishing charter owners like Haley Stephens, who can pretty much sum up the day with just one phrase.
“It is absolutely chaotic!” said Stephens of Sea Spirit Charters.
Red Snapper season is so short because the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said there is an overfishing problem. Their populations are currently under rebuilding plans. The bag limit is one fish per person and the total catch limit for 2024 is just over 21,000 fish.
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The changes are difficult for die hard fisherman like Edward Mills.
“They have 101 days over on the west coast and every time we pull up to a rack or a reef, we have to catch 100 of these before we even get to our target fish,” said Mills.
That means long days out on the water which keeps local law enforcement busy. With the season beginning at midnight on Friday, Deputy Matt Seltzer boarded a boat well before the sun came up.
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“In morning, we are especially looking for safety. You know, does everyone have their navigational lights on. That is a big thing. It’s just like driving at night without headlights,” said Seltzer.
The goal is to get everyone back to the boat docks safely so they can clean up their catch to cook. Meanwhile, charter businesses are looking beyond the day and hoping for next year’s season to be extended.
“So many different factors with our region of the South Atlantic, and I think that it’s really hard to have a successful single-day season and make it fair for the entire east coast,” said Stephens.
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