Recreational anglers can donate Red Snapper carcasses to science; enter for chance to win fishing reels!
The NC Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will collect Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) carcasses from recreational fishermen during the 2026 federal recreational Red Snapper fishing season, held Oct. 9-11. The carcasses will be used for research purposes.
Recreational anglers who donate their legally harvested Red Snapper carcass and complete the required catch-card (one person per fish per card) will be entered to win one of the grand prizes (limit one prize per person). The grand prizes include one LiveBottom Boca 50 spinning reel and one LiveBottom Valor 60 spinning reel. Each winner will also receive an inverted hook descending device.
Catch-cards and donation supplies are located at each donation site, and anglers must complete the entire catch-card legibly and truthfully to be eligible for a prize.
In addition to the seven year-round carcass collection donation sites, the Division has set up five temporary donation sites where recreational fishermen can donate their Red Snapper carcasses (see map).
The additional temporary donation locations are:
- Capt. Stacy, 416 Atlantic Beach Causeway, Atlantic Beach
- Carolina Princess, 604 Evans St, Morehead City
- Intracoastal Angler, 6332 Oleander Dr, Wilmington
- Carolina Beach Municipal Docks, Carl Winner Drive, Carolina Beach
- Ocean Isle Fishing Center, 65 Causeway Drive, Ocean Isle Beach
The year-round locations are:
- Cape Pointe Marina, 1390 Island Road, Harkers Island
- Frisco Rod & Gun, 53610 NC-12, Frisco
- Jennette’s Pier, 7223 S Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head
- Eastside Bait & Tackle, 1218 John Small Ave., Washington
- Eastern Outfitters, 21241 Suite 01 US-17, Hampstead
- Clem’s Seafood, 4351 Long Beach Road SE, Southport
- N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Headquarters, 3441 Arendell St., Morehead City
When cleaning the fish, anglers should leave the head and tail intact and, if possible, leave the guts/reproductive organs in the fish. Anglers who fished on a charter boat or head boat should let the fish cleaner know the carcass will be donated.
Division biologists will measure the fish, determine the sex when possible, and remove the otoliths (ear bones) for age determination by NOAA Fisheries. The information collected will be used in future stock assessments.
The 2026 federal recreational Red Snapper fishing season in the South Atlantic will open for harvest for three days at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 9, through 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 12. This is one day longer than the 2025 two-day recreational season.
- The bag limit is one fish per person per day.
- There is no minimum size limit.
- There is no requirement to register and report harvest in North Carolina waters for 2026.
For further information on regulations, including requirements for a descending device for Red Snapper and other snapper/grouper species, visit the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s regulations webpage.
Read more about North Carolina’s Carcass Collection program here, or, for more information, contact Amanda Macek, Division sportfishing specialist, at 252-515-5537 or amanda.macek@deq.nc.gov.
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