Alabama Red Snapper Season
The 2026 Alabama red snapper seasons for private anglers and federal for-hire boats, the bag and size, Snapper Check reporting, the reef fish endorsement and the reef zones.
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Athens: formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0
How Alabama ran red snapper in 2026
| Season | Opens | Closes | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red snapper (private anglers, shore, state-licensed charter) | May 22, 2026 | not set (quota) | Open 7 days a week until the end of the year or when Alabama's quota has been met; 2 per person per day, 16 inches TL minimum; 2026 private angler quota 664,552 pounds; report through Snapper Check. |
| Red snapper (federally permitted for-hire vessels) | June 1, 2026 | October 26, 2026 | Opens 12:01 a.m. local time June 1, 2026, closes 12:01 a.m. local time October 26, 2026 (147 days in federal waters). |
ADCNR MRD closures page and the ADCNR season release, read November 1, 2026.
The Alabama red snapper row
| Species | Creel and size | Waters |
|---|---|---|
| Red snapper | 2 per person in state and federal waters; 16" min. TL | state waters; see seasons |
The endorsement costs $10 a year for residents and nonresidents alike in 2026-27.
Gulf reef fish: state waters extend 9 nautical miles from the beach (including Pelican/Sand Island); all other species: 3 nautical miles (MRD 2026 sheet).
Limits as printed by the ADCNR Marine Resources Division recreational size, creel and possession limits for state waters (MRD limits page), read November 1, 2026.
Alabama reef zones where snapper anglers drop baits
- Dr. Robert (Bob) ShippOffshore, 424 reefs
- Tatum Winn NorthOffshore, 347 reefs
- Don KelleyOffshore, 183 reefs
- Hugh SwingleOffshore, 159 reefs
- C.M. BlankenshipOffshore, 128 reefs
- Coastal Conservation Association of AlabamaNearshore, 120 reefs
- Tatum Winn SouthOffshore, 113 reefs
- Alabama Gulf Coast Reef and Restoration FoundationNearshore, 106 reefs
- Alabama Charter Fishing AssociationNearshore, 100 reefs
- R.V. Minton WestNearshore, 92 reefs
- Alabama Wildlife FederationNearshore, 89 reefs
- Dr. Sean PowersNearshore, 84 reefs
- R.V. Minton EastNearshore, 46 reefs
- Dr. Stephen SzedlmayerNearshore, 37 reefs
- National Fish and Wildlife FoundationNearshore, 33 reefs
The Alabama record red snapper
| Weight | Angler | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 44 lbs. 12 ozs. | Melvin E. Dunn, Jr. | June 1, 2002 |
ADCNR saltwater records, read November 1, 2026.
Reservoirs and shoreline shown for Alabama Red Snapper Season
Photo: Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant, CC BY 2.0
Photo: alyssa BLACK, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, CC BY-SA 2.0
Alabama red snapper: the season questions
When did the 2026 Alabama red snapper season open for private anglers?
May 22, 2026, seven days a week until the end of the year or until the Alabama quota is met.
When did the federal for-hire season run?
From June 1, 2026 to October 26, 2026.
What is the red snapper bag and size in Alabama?
2 per person in state and federal waters; 16" min. TL.
Do I have to report red snapper in Alabama?
Yes; the 2026 season rules tell anglers to report through Snapper Check.
Do I need the Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement for snapper?
Yes, from age 16 with no exemptions. The endorsement costs $10 a year for residents and nonresidents alike in 2026-27.
What was the 2026 private angler quota?
664,552 pounds, as printed with the season notice.
How far out are Alabama state waters for reef fish?
Nine nautical miles from the beach, including Pelican and Sand islands.
What does the Alabama record red snapper weigh?
44 lbs. 12 ozs., by Melvin E. Dunn, Jr. in 2002.
Other Alabama rule pages after red snapper
- Alabama Saltwater Fishing LimitsMRD sizes and creels for state waters
- Alabama Water Exceptionsthe 26 digest entries with their own rule
- Alabama Border WatersGeorgia, Mississippi and Tennessee agreements
- Alabama license and regulationsprices, exemptions and freshwater rows