The Gulf Fishery Management Council is recommending changes to how recreational red snapper catch overages are handled, giving Gulf Coast states more flexibility when anglers exceed their annual limits.

The proposal, approved during the council's recent meeting in Galveston, Texas, would revise the payback requirements that currently apply when a state exceeds its recreational red snapper catch limit, according to the Louisiana Illuminator.

Under existing regulations, states that exceed their annual recreational catch limits must have the overage deducted from the following season's allocation. The proposed changes would limit when those deductions are required.

Under the council's recommendation, paybacks would be triggered only when a state exceeds its catch limit by more than 10 percent, exceeds its limit twice within three years, or exceeds its individual limit during a year when the combined recreational catch limit for all Gulf states is also surpassed.

Kesley Banks, a fisheries scientist and chair of the Gulf Council, said the changes are intended to account for uncertainty in the estimates used to determine recreational harvest. "It's an estimate. There's a margin of error on either side," Banks told the Louisiana Illuminator.

Banks said the additional flexibility would prevent states with strong compliance records from facing penalties for relatively small overages.

While the proposed changes apply specifically to recreational fishing, red snapper is also an important commercial fishery in the Gulf. Both sectors harvest from the same federally managed stock, although commercial fishermen operate under separate allocations and accountability measures.

The proposal does not directly change commercial red snapper quotas or fishing regulations. However, recreational catch accountability remains relevant to broader management of the stock, particularly when considering overall harvest limits and conservation measures.

The council's recommendation now heads to the U.S. Department of Commerce for review and approval. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will oversee the next stage of the process, which includes another public comment period lasting 16 to 30 days.

According to Banks, the regulatory process is expected to take seven to 10 months, with the changes potentially taking effect around mid-2027. Until approved, the existing recreational red snapper payback requirements remain in place.