Monday marks the beginning of the recreational Red Snapper Season in Florida. Lasting until July 20th in Gulf and Federal waters, this season is unique to its predecessors.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is opening up weekends in September and October for recreational red snapper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Residents will be able to fish Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting Sept. 2 and on Labor Day.
For fishing aficionados, Tropical Storm Colin came at a particularly bad time. The storm cut into federal red snapper season and the governor is looking for an extension.
Recreational fishermen spend almost $9 billion dollars in Florida each year. But this year, the fishing season for one popular saltwater fish has been drastically cut. The nine-day red snapper season has boat captains, congressmen and government-appointed fish managers all calling for changes to how fish supplies are managed.