The Commission is considering changes to state regulations that would set the recreational harvest season for red snapper in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico to be the Saturday before Memorial Day (May 24 for 2014) through July 14. The purpose of this rule is to increase recreational red snapper fishing opportunities in Gulf state waters. The effect of this rule amendment is to balance the economic and social needs of Florida’s recreational anglers with the conservation needs of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. Federal season lengths have been decreasing since 2008, resulting in decreased fishing opportunities throughout the Gulf. The Saturday before Memorial Day state recreational season opening was proposed by the Commission at the November 2013 Commission meeting to increase fishing opportunities for anglers over the holiday weekend.