The gray snapper is commonly found in the shallow coastal waters of the tropical and subtropical regions of the Western Atlantic, especially along the coast of Florida and the coral reefs of the Florida Keys.

The gray snapper is among the smaller and more slender species within the snapper family, typically not exceeding 18 inches in length and 10 pounds in weight.

The gray snapper is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The gray snapper appears in the IUCN Red List since 2016 within the category Least Concern !