WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced the snapper fishing season for the Gulf of Mexico to be nine days for recreational fisherman, June 1-10.

The charter for hire season will be from June 1-July 17. The state of Alabama season, which is in state waters up to nine miles out or from May 27-July 31.

“A nine-day red snapper season is a disgrace for Alabama’s fishermen,” U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Fairhope, said. “This type of ‘derby-style’ season poses serious challenges and puts the safety of our fishermen at risk.

“There are plenty of red snapper in the Gulf, but the federal government continues to do a terrible job of counting the number of fish, as well as the number caught each year.

Byrne said the U.S. House has passed reform legislation to return to a “real season” but the Senate has failed to pass it.

According to a release from his office, last year, Byrne guided reforms through the House that would give Gulf states more control over setting the red snapper season. The reforms, included in the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act, would:

Repeal the inflexible quotas for the Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery, extend state water boundaries for each Gulf state to nine nautical miles and remove data collection and stock assessments from federal control.