An exempted fishing permit allows the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to authorize fishing activity that would otherwise be prohibited for specific purposes; in this case, the EFP is to collect data on recreational red snapper fishing. This EFP was approved to better understand the number of recreational red snapper anglers, their fishing effort, and the number of fish, both kept and released. This information has been difficult to obtain accurately under the current data collection system. The red snapper project is an experiment and the success of that experiment and its ability to continue in the future will rely on the cooperation of our anglers.

Any recreational angler who intends to keep red snapper in federal waters off South Carolina. Anglers fishing off Georgia or North Carolina will follow similar protocols with some differences. Please refer to the GADNR or NCDMF websites for specifics.

Beginning on June 16, 2026, anglers with a valid SC saltwater fishing license or privilege will be able to obtain their experimental harvest permit on the GoOutdoorsSC App or at GoOutdoorsSC.com. Anglers can also visit one of the six SCDNR Licensing Offices to obtain their permit in-person (Charleston, West Columbia, York, Aynor, Florence, and Clemson). Permits become valid on July 1, 2026.

Upon obtaining an experimental harvest permit, anglers will receive an email with a link to download the free VESL app and create an account for declaring trips and reporting catch.

Declaring a trip in the VESL mobile or web app allows SCDNR to connect a trip with the fishing report following the trip and ensure that information is not missed. Direct angler reporting will allow our managers to collect accurate information on the number of trips taken and fish kept and released. It also aids SCDNR law enforcement in determining who is eligible to keep red snapper while on the water.

Every angler on board who intends to keep a red snapper must obtain a free experimental red snapper harvest permit, declare their trip on the VESL app, and report their catch.

Your data provides near real-time catch and effort information to fisheries managers and is a first step in exploring how to improve data quality to manage a healthy red snapper fishery. The data you provide to us is confidential.

Yes, any angler that is planning to keep a red snapper must obtain a permit, declare a trip, and report their catch. Anglers under 16 are not required to have a recreational saltwater fishing license in order to obtain an experimental harvest permit.

If you have a valid charter vessel permit and held a federal snapper grouper permit during July-December 2025, you may be eligible to participate in the exempted fishing permit program during for-hire trips. Those who are eligible received an email with information on how to report their catch. Those that do not qualify may still participate as a private recreational angler. For questions specifically regarding the eligibility associated with a charter vessel permit, please email CharterReporting@dnr.sc.gov.

Anglers fishing on a for-hire trip aboard a charter vessel or headboat that carries the experimental harvest permit do not need a permit or to declare their trip and report for themselves. The captain will report for all passengers.

No, the 2026 red snapper season allows for hook and line fishing only.

The red snapper exempted fishing permits are a research project that may continue for up to three years. The timing of the season, duration, size limits, and other factors may change from year to year depending on the information collected and feedback from anglers after each season. SCDNR will coordinate with NOAA fisheries and other regional states to refine the process for each year.

These are common signs of barotrauma, which occurs when deep water fish are pulled from the bottom to the surface and the gas in their body expands. To release a fish suffering from barotrauma, use a descending device with a heavy weight to get the fish back close to the bottom. This will recompress the fish and give it a much greater chance of survival. See the “Return Em Right” video on descending fish above. Under the experimental permit conditions, anglers are required to use a descending device to release red snapper showing signs of barotrauma.

Sharks exhibit learned behavior and sometimes associate fishing vessels with an easy meal. The best thing to do when you encounter shark predation is to move to a new location. When using your descending device, make sure to use adequate weight (sometimes 3+ pounds for a large red snapper) to get the fish back to depth quickly.

Your data provides near real-time catch and effort information to fisheries managers and is a first step in exploring how to improve data quality to manage a healthy red snapper fishery. The data you provide to us is confidential.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) is currently looking for commercial, for-hire, and recreational fishermen to participate in the SAFMC Release Project. Reporting released fish on their app provides a crucial source of information for scientists. Learn more at https://safmc.net/citizen-science/safmc-release/.