NOAA Fisheries Service announces the recreational fishery for red snapper in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will close effective 12:01 a.m. local time August 15, 2009, and will reopen on June 1, 2010, the beginning of the 2010 federal recreational fishing season.

Fishermen are reminded that a person aboard a vessel for which a federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf reef fish has been issued, must also abide by these closure provisions in state waters for the extent of the closure. Closure of the recreational red snapper fishery in federal waters complies with regulations implemented under the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act also requires NOAA Fisheries Service close the recreational red snapper fishery in federal waters when the quota is met or projected to be met. NOAA Fisheries Service has determined this action is necessary to prevent overfishing and to keep the recreational fishery from exceeding its quota during the 2009 fishing year. A detailed summary of the quota closure analysis can be found at: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/.