Northern red snapper

Northern Red Snapper

The Northern Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is a species of snapper native to the western Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf of Mexico, where it inhabits environments associated with reefs. This species is commercially important and is also sought-after as a game fish.

Description

The Northern Red Snapper's body is very similar in shape to other snappers, such as the Mangrove Snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus), but can be identified by its red to pinkish color. The Northern Red Snapper is known to live a relatively long life, with the oldest recorded age being 57 years.

Habitat and Distribution

The Northern Red Snapper is found in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, although most commercial catch comes from the Gulf of Mexico. The species typically inhabits waters from 30 to 200 feet, but can be caught as deep as 300 feet on occasion.

Diet

The diet of the Northern Red Snapper consists mainly of fish and squid, although they are known to eat crustaceans, worms, and some plankton.

Fishing

Northern Red Snapper is a popular fish for commercial and recreational fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. However, their populations have been declining due to overfishing, so regulations are in place to help maintain the species.

Conservation Status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the Northern Red Snapper as Near Threatened. This is due to a combination of factors including overfishing and habitat loss.

See Also

• Snapper (fish)
• Overfishing
• Conservation status

External Links

• IUCN Red List - Northern Red Snapper
• FishBase - Northern Red Snapper