Snappers

When it comes to snappers (Lutjanus) and rockfish, there is a great deal of confusion around terminology. Both live on or around reefs or rocky structures, both are often nonmigratory, and both present similarly in the market as fillets (light, firm, and mild). However, snappers (there are dozens of species) are usually from warmer, more tropical waters like the Gulf of Mexico, the South Atlantic, and the Sea of Cortez. Snappers are often associated with coral reefs, and the red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is wildly popular in the Gulf Coast region as “snapper on the halfshell.”