Queen snapperin North Carolina
Etelis oculatus
The rule in North Carolina
Federal rule (South Atlantic federal waters). North Carolina lists no rule of its own for queen snapper, so the council's rule applies in state waters too.
12 in TL minimum removed in 2020.
Counts toward an aggregate limit: 10-snapper aggregate.
SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026· checked Open
How to tell it
Scarlet deep-drop slim body, huge eye, long forked tail. More on the queen snapper page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Queen snapper in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a queen snapper in North Carolina and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appQueen snapper in North Carolina: the questions
What is the size limit for queen snapper in North Carolina?
No size limit.
How many queen snapper can you keep in North Carolina?
10 per person per day within 10-snapper aggregate. It counts toward an aggregate: 10-snapper aggregate.
When is queen snapper season in North Carolina?
Open year-round.
How current is this North Carolina queen snapper rule?
Source: SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026, last checked Sep 16, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.