Red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), also known as northern red snapper and American red snapper, is one of the best-known food fish in the United States. Its popularity extends far beyond its native range and it is often seen on seafood menus. The fish live along the southeastern coast of the United States, in the Caribbean and in the Gulf of Mexico. Juvenile fish can be found closer to shore, but adult snapper prefer deeper water, up to several hundred feet. The red snapper’s distinctive color is most pronounced in deep-sea fish. They prefer “hard bottom” and can be found along sloping ledges, wrecks, reefs and rocky bottoms.
Snappers of all types are named for their feeding style: they catch small fish and crustaceans with the help of large canines. They are a long-lived species, over 50 years for some large fish. However, snappers mature at just 2 years old, which may reflect their role as prey for larger predators such as groupers and barracudas. They grow moderately fast and a large snapper can approach 50 pounds. of weight.
How red snappers are harvested
This historically important fish is harvested commercially in two sectors of America’s fishing territory: the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic states. Snapper is caught primarily by hook and line, but also by longline. The gear used must meet strict standards to eliminate bycatch and protect sea turtles and marine mammals. Restricted fishing areas, limited access, circle hooks and dehooking devices are just part of the way to keep the red snapper fishery sustainable. Commercial landings of snapper in American waters were more than 7 million pounds in 2022.
There is also a robust recreational snapper fishery, making it one of the most popular sport fish. Most of these fish are also caught hook and line using electric reels due to the depth at which the large fish live. According to NOAAin 2022, more than 15 million pounds were caught recreationally, more than double the commercial catch.
Snapper landings, both commercial and recreational, experienced significant declines during the late 1970s and 1980s. This initiated National Marine Fisheries Service/NOAA management plans, starting with minimum size limits.
Current management plans began in the early 2000s for the Gulf of Mexico title. NOAA’s latest assessments state that the Gulf of Mexico stock is not overexploited and that landings are within acceptable levels. In contrast, NOAA says the South Atlantic stock is currently overfished and has had sharply reduced quotas since 2010. Harvesting has been banned entirely in this area for the 2015-2016 fishing season.
Buy red snapper
Red snapper it is available all year round fresh or frozen in both whole fish and fillets. Fresh fillets should be an off-white/greyish color with a firm texture before cooking. The popularity of the fish has led it to be one of the most frequently traded species in cases of fish fraud.
The mild flavor and white flesh are easy to misidentify, especially if you are unfamiliar with the taste or if they are covered in a flavorful sauce. Some, but certainly not all, of these red snapper fish scams are probably accidental. When purchasing raw fish fillets, it is difficult to distinguish red snapper from other fish, such as grouper.
To ensure you get red snapper, it should be sold with the skin. The distinctive pinkish-red skin will help identify it, but there are other fish with similar skin such as the smaller vermilion snapper, the unrelated Pacific red snapper, and the Acadian rockfish/ocean perch.
Red snapper is highly appreciated for its delicate but sweet flavor with slightly firm and whitish flesh. However the flavor and texture are considered much better than similar looking species. Furthermore, it is a very versatile fish that lends itself to almost all cooking methods, from the grill to the stewed pot. A popular preparation method is to cook the fish whole, skin on, for a spectacular presentation.
