Red Snapper Season Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
July 1 through August 31, 2026 — 62 days in federal waters off North Carolina.
Size limit: None
Bag limits:
Private Recreational – 1 fish per person or 4 fish per vessel (whichever is more restrictive)
Charter Boat (up to 6 passengers) – 1 fish per person or 4 fish per vessel (whichever is more restrictive)
Head Boat (Greater than 6 passengers) – 20 fish per vessel
Using the VESL app is mandatory — not optional. Every angler fishing for red snapper under the Red Snapper Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) must register their trip and report their catch. This is how we earn longer seasons in the future.
VESL is the free app you'll use to register trips and report your catch. It's available on iPhone, Android, and desktop. It can be found in you App Store or at THIS WEBSITE. Reporting takes less than a minute.
Yes. Registering your trip and reporting your catch through VESL is mandatory. It takes less than a minute.
An EFP is a permit issued by NOAA Fisheries that authorizes the targeting or incidental harvest of species managed under a Federal Council Fishery Management Plan (FMP) or federal fishery regulations that would otherwise be prohibited.
Recreational anglers in the south Atlantic, including NC have been frustrated with two-day red snapper seasons and the lack of adequate red snapper harvest and discard data. NC, along with SC, GA, and Fl have applied for red snapper EFPs to test and evaluate state data collection approaches with a long-term goal of improving data quality.
To participate, you must download the VESL application to either your smart phone, tablet, or computer. Follow the prompts to set up an account using your email address. You will receive a copy of the EFP. You will then attest that you have read and understood the EFP and will provide fishing trip information whenever you catch a red snapper during the red snapper fishing season.
A for-hire captain must request a copy of the EFP from the Division of Marine Fisheries by going to xxxxx.com. There you must fill out request form and provide contact and vessel information, proof of NC licensing/federal permits and attest that you will continue to report your red snapper catches to the appropriate reporting program. You will then receive a copy of the EFP so that you may operate.
NC is testing a data collection tool to collect real time data to monitor the recreational fishery. Recreational anglers are the link to collecting accurate and timely data to ensure sustainable fisheries management. Collecting harvest and discard data through the phone app, tablet or computer will help determine the number of anglers, the number of trips and the number of red snapper kept and discarded off NC during the season and can aid in improving data collection quality.
No, but in order to retain red snapper while fishing from a charter vessel or a headboat, that vessel must be authorized under the EFP.
No, there will not be a two day season 2026.