
Recreational anglers can donate Red Snapper carcasses to science; enter for a chance to win a SeaQualizer
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will collect Red Snapper carcasses from recreational fishermen during the 2025 mini-season, held July 11-12. The carcasses will be used for research purposes.
Recreational anglers who donate their Red Snapper fish carcass and complete the required catch-card (one person per fish) will receive an inverted hook-descending device (limit one per person) provided through a donation from South Atlantic Sea Grant.
Anglers who donate will also be automatically entered into a drawing to win one of three SeaQualizer descending devices. Catch-cards and donation supplies are located at each donation site, and anglers must complete the entire catch-card legibly and honestly to be eligible.
The division has set up additional temporary donation locations, along with the eight carcass collection locations available throughout the sampling year, where recreational fishermen can take their Red Snapper carcasses.
The temporary locations are:
- Bridge Tender Marina, 1418 Airlie Road, Wilmington
- Carolina Beach Municipal Docks, 1 Carl Winner Drive, Carolina Beach
- Capt. Stacy Fishing Center, 416 Atlantic Beach Causeway, Atlantic Beach
- Carolina Princess Headboat Dock, 604 Evans St., Morehead City
- Pelagic Hunter, 104 James St., Sneads Ferry
The year-round locations are (map):
- Cape Pointe Marina, Harkers Island
- Frisco Rod & Gun, Frisco
- Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head
- Eastside Bait & Tackle, Washington
- N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Wilmington Regional Office, Wilmington
- Tex’s Tackle, Wilmington
- Clem’s Seafood, Southport
- N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Headquarters, Morehead City
When cleaning the fish, anglers should leave the head and tail intact and, if possible, leave the guts/reproductive organs in the fish. Anglers who fished on a charter boat or head boat should let the fish cleaner know the carcass will be donated.
Division biologists will measure the fish, determine the sex when possible, and remove the otoliths (ear bones) for age determination. The information collected will be provided to the National Marine Fisheries Service for use in future Red Snapper stock assessments.
Recreational anglers also may log information about their recreational trips through the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) Release app. The app is available for free download at the Google Play and Apple App stores or through the SAFMC Release website. Reports of the number of harvested and released fish will improve the accuracy of National Marine Fisheries Service’s catch estimates.
The division recently issued proclamations implementing the 2025 recreational and commercial Red Snapper seasons in North Carolina. The seasons and regulations comply with the requirements of amendments to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region. Red Snapper are a federally-managed species.
· The 2025 recreational Red Snapper season officially opens at 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 11 and closes at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. Anglers may keep one fish per person per day. There will be no minimum or maximum size limit. Captain and crew on for-hire vessels may retain the recreational bag limit. For specific recreational harvest regulations, go to Proclamation FF-24-2025.
- The 2025 commercial Red Snapper season will open July 14, with a 75-pound gutted weight trip limit. The season will close at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1, 2026 ,or when the commercial quota is met (whichever comes first). For specific commercial harvest regulations, go to Proclamation FF-23-25.
Division biologists will obtain data from commercially caught Red Snapper at the fish houses. Commercially caught carcasses should not be left in the Carcass Collection Program freezers.
Gear regulations implemented in previous years for commercial, for-hire, and recreational snapper-grouper fishing remain in effect. The regulations require:
- An on-board descending device that is readily available for use while fishing for or possessing snapper-grouper species; and,
- Use of non-offset (also called inline), non-stainless-steel circle hooks when fishing for or possessing snapper-grouper species with hook-and-line gear and natural baits, regardless of tackle or lure configuration. A non-offset circle hook is a hook with the point directed perpendicular back towards the shank, with the point and barb in the same plane as the shank (see diagrams). Offset circle hooks and stainless-steel circle hooks are not allowed for snapper grouper fishing.
Read the NOAA Fisheries announcement of the Red Snapper season. More information on best fishing practices, including how-to videos for rigging descending devices, can be found here.
Read more about North Carolina’s Carcass Collection program here, or, for more information, contact Amanda Macek, division sportfishing specialist, at 252 515-5537 or amanda.macek@deq.nc.gov.

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