NOAA Fisheries announces that the commercial fishery for red snapper in Gulf of Mexico federal waters will open at noon, local time, on May 1, 2004, and close at noon, local time, on May 10, 2004. The 2004 Gulf of Mexico commercial red snapper quota is 4.65-million pounds. The commercial fishing season is divided into spring and fall seasons. The spring season began at noon, local time, on February 1, with 3.10 million pounds available, and the fall season begins at noon, local time, on October 1, with the remainder of the annual quota available. During the spring and fall seasons, fishing will be allowed the first 10 days of each month until the quota is caught. Preliminary landings data for February 1-10, 2004 (482,863 pounds), March 1-10, 2004 (546,627 pounds), and April 1-10, 2004 (683,543) totaled 1,713,033 pounds of red snapper landed. Therefore, a total of 1,386,967 pounds remain in the spring quota.

The operator of a vessel with a valid reef fish permit and a Class 1 or Class 2 red snapper license having red snapper aboard must have landed and sold such red snapper before noon, local time, on May 10, 2004. The minimum size limit for the commercial fishery is 15 inches total length.