Seasonal Prohibition on Fishing for or Possessing Blackfin, Vermilion, Black, and Silk Snapper in U.S. Caribbean Federal Waters

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What Is Happening and When:

NOAA Fisheries reminds fishermen and the public of the annually recurring seasonal prohibition on fishing for or possessing blackfin, vermilion, black, or silk snapper in U.S. Caribbean federal waters.

• This closure begins on October 1, 2025, and extends through December 31, 2025.
• During the closure, no person may fish for or possess black, blackfin, silk, or vermilion snapper in or from federal waters around Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• The prohibition on possession does not apply to blackfin, vermilion, black, or silk snapper harvested and landed ashore prior to the closure.

Federal waters in the U.S. Caribbean consist of those waters extending from the three-nautical mile seaward boundary of the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the nine-nautical mile seaward boundary of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, out to 200 nautical miles offshore.

Why This Closure Is Happening:

This seasonal closure protects blackfin, vermilion, black, and silk snapper when they are spawning (reproducing) and therefore more vulnerable to fishing pressure.

Sign Up For Text Message Alerts - Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures

NOAA's Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery-related alerts via text message. Standard message & data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time. Text alerts you may receive include immediate fishery openings and closures and any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly.

Sign up for one or more of the fisheries-related alerts below by texting the following to 888777:

• Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico) Recreational: Text GULFRECFISH
• Gulf of America Commercial: Text GULFCOMMFISH
• South Atlantic Recreational: Text SATLRECFISH
• South Atlantic Commercial: Text SATLCOMMFISH
• Caribbean: Text CARIBFISH

Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office

Other contacts:

Media: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750

NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202