Red Snapper!
One of the most tasty and vastly offered reef fish in resturants and in homes is the Red Snapper . The Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is a fish found in the Gulf of Mexico and the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States. They commonly inhabit waters from 30 feet and deeper, but can be caught as deep as 400 ft on occasion. They stay relatively close to the bottom, and inhabit rocky bottom, ledges, ridges, and artificial reefs, including offshore oil rigs and shipwrecks.
Below : A respectable Red Snapper is landed from the Kayak
The body of the Red Snapper is very similar in shape to other snappers, such as the mangrove snapper, mutton snapper, lane snapper, and dog snapper. All feature a sloped profile, medium-to-large scales, a spiny dorsal fin and a laterally compressed body. Red Snappers have short, sharp, needle-like teeth, however they lack the prominent upper canine teeth found on the mutton, dog, and mangrove snappers.
Below : Gabe poses with a solid Snapper on an offshore voyage...
Coloration of the Red Snapper is light red, with more intense pigment on the back . Juvenile fish can also have a dark spot on their side which fades with age. Like most other snappers, Red Snappers are gregarious and will form large schools around wrecks and reefs. These schools are usually made up of fish of very similar size. Anglers take advatage of this ideal setup to target Red Snapper when in large schools.
Below : Oz poses with a monster Red Snapper
Red Snapper are a prized food fish and are also caught commercially . When tagetted by commercial fisheries, they are caught on multi-hook gear with electric reels and unfortunately this method can wipe out a population of Snapper from a rig in no-time. Snapper constitute a major industry in the Gulf of Mexico, however recent changes in the quota system for commercial Snapper fishermen in the Gulf have made the fish less commercially viable. Now with strictly rules and laws in effect for both commercial and recreational users, the Red Snapper are making a come-back and replenishing healthy in the gulf.
Below : Chris hammers a nice Red Snapper from the yak in Florida waters...
Red snapper will eat almost anything, but prefer small fish and crustaceans. They can be caught on live bait as well as cut bait, and will also take artificial lures, but with less vigor. They are commonly caught up to 10 pounds and 20 inches in length, however there have been brutes taken at over 40 lbs . A Red Snapper attains sexual maturity at 2–5 years old and an adult Snapper can live for more than 50 years.The vibrant red color of these fish comes from high levels of carotenoid pigments, largely astaxanthin, coming from shrimp in their natural diet.
Below : Jason with a solid pair of Texas Red Snapper from the Kayak...
With a careful eye on the stocks of this species, the conservational effort put forth by various organizations have help keep Red Snapper numbers healthy for users to target. As long as over-harvesting is not being condoned, recreational and commercial fisheries shall thrive for generations to enjoy!
Below : Rick poses with a very healthy Red Snapper from the Kayak
*Some relevant info may have been sourced from Wikipedia
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