Saving Seafood

FLORIDA: An expanded snapper season is proposed for Florida anglers

November 11, 2025 — Florida has formally asked federal officials for the authority to manage red snapper in the Atlantic Ocean, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission submitted an “Exempted Fishing Permit” to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick seeking to allow the state to assume management of recreational red snapper in state and federal waters off Florida’s eastern coast starting in 2026.

“We know that we can do this effectively, and we know that this is something that could make a big difference for our recreational anglers, particularly in Northeast Florida,” DeSantis said Monday during an event at Amelia Island Marina in Fernandina Beach.

Read the full article at the Sun Sentinel

Southern states ask US government to hand over control of red snapper management

October 29, 2025 — Officials from three Southern states are again asking the U.S. federal government to cede its regulatory authority over red snapper fishing in the South Atlantic Ocean to state governments, arguing that more local control of the species will be better for the fisheries.

While the South Atlantic red snapper fishery is federally designated as subject to overfishing, recreational fishers claim the fish population is far greater than official numbers, and state representatives and officials have resisted all efforts to limit fishing.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

South Atlantic states want feds to cede oversight of red snapper

October 28, 2025 — Florida, Georgia and South Carolina are pushing the Commerce Department to cede regulatory authority over South Atlantic red snapper in federal waters to state agencies, arguing that NOAA’s management of the highly popular species is based on flawed science and harming Atlantic Coast sportfishing economies.

In an Oct. 17 letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the states’ attorneys general asked for the immediate transfer of responsibility for conducting population surveys for snapper and other reef fish that are targeted by recreational fishermen. The three states also want authority over snapper catch limits, fishing season openings and closings, and the permitting of fishing vessels plying federal waters beyond 3 nautical miles of a state’s shoreline.

The letter asks Lutnick “to use whatever tools are at your disposal” to facilitate handing over management authority, including “exempted fishing permits” that can be granted by NOAA to allow research projects on data collection, low-impact fishing and conservation.

Read the full article at E&E News

Red snapper commercial season closes as NOAA catch limits met for 2025

September 24, 2025 — The commercial harvest of red snapper closed Wednesday morning, officially ending the 2025 fishing season of the animal now for both commercial and recreational fishermen.

According to the NOAA, the commercial catch limit of 102,951 pounds whole weight was met for the year, prompting the season closure.

This comes after NOAA fisheries published a final rule in June, reducing the catch limit from 124,815 pounds whole weigh to 102,951 pounds whole weight. The recreational catch limit of red snapper also dropped from 29,656 fish to 22,797 fish.

Read the full article at WPDE

Commercial fishers and businesses challenge US federal red snapper plan over dead discards

July 16, 2025 –A group of commercial fishers, seafood processors, and buyers from the U.S. states of North Carolina and Florida have filed a lawsuit against the federal government’s management of the Southeast Atlantic red snapper fishery, claiming that regulators are not adequately taking action on dead discards from the recreational sector.

“This case challenges the ongoing lack of accountability for dead discards of red snapper in the South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper fishery, which directly harms commercial fishermen in that region and violates the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act,” the lawsuit states.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Charter company that helped extend Atlantic red snapper season says fight not over yet

June 13, 2025 — A Volusia County charter fishing company that helped lead the charge in extending the Atlantic red snapper season said the fight is far from over. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made a ruling that allows for a one-day extension and removes the consideration to close all bottom fishing for three months.

Haley Stephens, owner of Sea Spirit Fishing Charter in Ponce Inlet, has been meeting with government agencies about this issue for the last year.

“What we’re seeing on the water is just a record abundance of these fish, so to hear that it’s being overfished raises the question of what in the world is going on,” said Stephens.

Read the full article at WFTV

Final rule for Amendment 59 sets stricter red snapper limits

June 10, 2025 — NOAA Fisheries has finalized new regulations for the South Atlantic red snapper fishery through Amendment 59 to the Fishery Management Plan for Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, tightening limits and restricting access for both commercial and recreational fishermen in the 2025 season.

According to NOAA Fisheries, the red snapper population in the South Atlantic is “undergoing overfishing, not overfished, but not yet rebuilt,” prompting the agency to revise catch limits and season dates through this final rule. The changes are based on the most recent update to the SEDAR 73 stock assessment, which includes data through 2023.

“NOAA Fisheries developed Amendment 59 on the Secretary’s behalf to comply with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and a court order,” the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) stated, “because the SAFMC failed to develop and submit, after a reasonable period of time, needed conservation and management measures to end and prevent overfishing of the South Atlantic red snapper population, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act.”

Read the full article at The National Fisherman

NOAA Fisheries Announces Changes to the Management of Red Snapper in the South Atlantic Region and the 2025 Fishing Seasons

June 6, 2025 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Key Messages:

  • NOAA Fisheries announces changes to management of red snapper in the South Atlantic through a final rule for Amendment 59 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region.
  • Amendment 59 was developed by NOAA Fisheries on the Secretary’s behalf under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and is based on the latest population assessment for South Atlantic red snapper which determined the population is undergoing overfishing, not overfished, but not yet rebuilt.
  • Amendment 59 and the final rule modify management of South Atlantic red snapper by revising the overfishing limit, acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits, and the proxy for determining red snapper overfishing.
  • During development of Amendment 59, NOAA Fisheries held multiple in-person hearings and received extensive comments during the public comment period; most of which opposed all or part of a discard reduction season proposed in the draft amendment to increase commercial and recreational red snapper catch limits and the recreational fishing season length.
  • In response to this input, and because a new red snapper stock assessment is underway, which will take into account the results of the South Atlantic Red Snapper Research Program and other new information about the red snapper stock, NOAA Fisheries removed the discard reduction area closure and several other proposed actions from further consideration.
  • This will provide the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council another opportunity to consider other management measures to reduce dead discards and increase red snapper fishing opportunities in a future amendment through an open, public process.
  • The final rule also announces that the commercial sector will open on July 14, 2025, and will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2026, unless the commercial catch limit is met or projected to be met before this date. The recreational sector will open for two days on July 11 and 12, 2025.

 

When Rule Will Take Effect:

The final rule is scheduled to publish on June 11, 2025.  Regulations will be effective 30 days after the final rule publishes.

 

What This Means:

Amendment 59 and the Final Rule

  • NOAA Fisheries developed Amendment 59 on the Secretary’s behalf to comply with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and a court order because the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council failed to develop and submit, after a reasonable period of time, needed conservation and management measures to end and prevent overfishing of the South Atlantic red snapper population, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
  • The changes implemented through Amendment 59 are based on an update of the 2021 SEDAR 73 population assessment, which includes data through 2023.
  • Amendment 59 specifies an overfishing limit of 551,000 fish, an acceptable biological catch of 509,000 fish, and a total annual catch limit equal to 509,000 fish; all of which include both landings and discards.
  • The landed catch limits specified by this final rule include a commercial annual catch limit of 102,951 pounds whole weight, and a recreational annual catch limit of 22,797 fish (equivalent to 263,815 pounds whole weight).
  • Amendment 59 revises the proxy used to determine if red snapper is undergoing overfishing from a fixed value to a more flexible definition that reflects the best scientific information available at the time an overfishing determination is made.

     

2025 Red Snapper Fishing Seasons

  • The commercial sector will open for harvest at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 14, 2025, and will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2026, unless the commercial catch limit is met or projected to be met before this date.
  • The recreational sector will open for harvest for two days – at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 11, 2025, through 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 13, 2025.
  • The commercial and recreational season lengths for the 2025 fishing year are determined using the revised sector ACLs in this final rule.

     

Amendment 59 can be found on our website here: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/amendment-59-fishery-management-plan-snapper-grouper-fishery-south-atlantic-region.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What action is NOAA Fisheries taking?

NOAA Fisheries has prepared Amendment 59 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 59) to end and prevent overfishing of red snapper and support rebuilding objectives.

 

What is a Secretarial Amendment?

Amendment 59 is a Secretarial Amendment.  A Secretarial Amendment is an amendment to a fishery management plan that is prepared by NOAA Fisheries on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary).  This Secretarial Amendment (Amendment 59) has amended the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region.

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) provides the Secretary authority to act if a Fishery Management Council (Council) fails to develop and submit to the Secretary, after a reasonable period of time, needed conservation and management measures for a species.  The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council was notified in July 2021 that red snapper was undergoing overfishing, and has not taken action pursuant to the MSA to end the overfishing.

The Secretarial Amendment is similar to other amendments to fishery management plans except NOAA Fisheries prepares the amendment, then provides the amendment to the Council (and the broader public) for consideration and comment.

 

What actions are included in the amendment?

The amendment and supporting analyses evaluate a range of alternative options for setting and managing red snapper catches at levels that end and prevent overfishing and support rebuilding objectives.  The amendment contains three actions:

Action 1. Revise the Fishing Mortality at Maximum Sustainable Yield (FMSY) Proxy for Red Snapper Overfishing

Action 2. Modify the Acceptable Biological Catch for Red Snapper

Action 3. Consider Reducing Dead Discards Set Red Snapper Annual Catch Limits

 

Why were actions that were in the proposed rule not included in the final rule?

The proposed rule and Draft Environmental Impact Statement had five additional actions that are not in the final rule:

Action 4. Establish New Management Measures to Achieve Dead Discard Targets

Action 5. Modify Commercial Management Measures to Further Optimize Yield

            Sub-Action 5a. Increase the Commercial Trip Limit for Red Snapper

            Sub-Action 5b. Modify the Commercial Fishing Season for Red Snapper

Action 6. Modify the Recreational Fishing Season for Red Snapper to Further Increase Fishing Opportunities/Optimize Yield

Action 7. Establish an Annual Experimental Studies Program

Action 8. Modify the Fishing Year for Red Snapper

NOAA Fisheries removed Actions 4 through 8 from further consideration in the amendment in view of the fact the new stock assessment will be available soon and because public commenters voiced substantial concerns about the impacts of the discard reduction season.  Therefore, these actions would no longer be implemented in this final rule.

NOAA Fisheries added a new preferred annual catch limit alternative in Action 3 that was not in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement or Proposed Rule.  The new alternative is based on the results of the SEDAR 73 Update Assessment, and would not require additional measures to reduce dead discards, as found in the discard reduction season alternatives contained in Action 4.  The new alternative would set the total annual catch limit for red snapper equal to the acceptable biological catch of 509,000 fish.  The total annual catch limit of 509,000 fish would include 34,000 fish (landings) and 475,000 fish (dead discards).  Retaining the current allocation percentages from the Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan of 28.07% for the commercial sector and 71.93% for the recreational sector, the new commercial annual catch limit will be 102,951 pounds whole weight, and the recreational annual catch limit will be 22,797 fish.

Sign Up for Text Message Alerts – Find Out About Immediate Openings and Closures

NOAA’s Text Message Alert Program allows you to receive important fishery related alerts via text message (SMS). Standard message and data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time. Text alerts you may receive include immediate fishery openings and closures and any significant changes to fishing regulations that happen quickly.

Sign up for one or more of the fisheries-related alerts below by texting the following to 888777:

  • Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico) Recreational: Text GULFRECFISH
  • Gulf of America Commercial: Text GULFCOMMFISH
  • South Atlantic Recreational: Text SATLRECFISH
  • South Atlantic Commercial: Text SATLCOMMFISH
  • Caribbean: Text CARIBFISH

 

Permits Mailbox: The Permits Office in St. Petersburg, Florida, now has a Permits mailbox in the front lobby (263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701). You can now drop off original permits for permit transfers.  Envelopes with information labels will be provided so that your documents can be attached to the correct application.  The mailbox will be checked daily.  For more information, contact the Permits Office at 877-376-4877.

 

Contacts:

Quick Glance Contact List for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office

Media Contact: Allison Garrett, 727-551-5750

Recreational Fishing Coordinator: Sean Meehan, 727-385-5202

Red Snapper Communications Specialist: Lauren Westcott 727-249-5881

SOUTH CAROLINA: South Carolina rolls out its own red snapper rules

May 20. 2025 — South Carolina will no longer follow federal management standards in state waters aimed at protecting red snapper populations that are still recovering after years of overfishing off the south Atlantic coast.

Gov. Henry McMaster (R) signed S.B. 219 on May 8 taking full authority over the state’s snapper-grouper fishery — composed of 55 species — within 3 miles of the South Carolina coast. The law specifically references red snapper and black sea bass, both of which are highly sought after by recreational fishermen.

“This law reflects South Carolina’s commitment to common-sense, homegrown solutions” to fishing regulation, McMaster said in a statement issued by sportfishing groups. “Our anglers deserve a system that’s fair, science-driven, and tailored to our state’s unique waters, not a one-size-fits-all approach.”

Read the full artile at E&E News

Red snapper frustrations boil over in Alabama as feds place strict limits on 2023 season

March 13, 2023 — In coastal Alabama, red snapper fishing lures in millions of dollars in economic impact to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

Tourists, who spend their vacations on the beaches, will often seek a charter boat captain and plunk down the cash to sail off for hours of deep-sea fishing in pursuit of red snapper.

But salty questions are being raised this year over Alabama’s reduced haul of the fish from last year. And the reduced aggregate weight of red snapper caught in 2022 resulted in the federal government slashing the state’s quota for red snapper fishing this year by such a considerable figure that some officials believe the 2023 season might have to end before summer vacations are over.

The latest dispute is part of a decades-long battle over the science behind red snapper assessments. It’s a scientific battle waged between federal and state bureaucrats that shows no signs of letting up any time soon.

“We need the federal government to get out of the way so all types of anglers can enjoy an abundant red snapper season,” said U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl, R-Mobile.

Some environmental groups are worried Alabama is overfishing its waters.

Meredith Moore, director of the fish conservation program at Ocean Conservancy, said 2022′s total pounds of red snapper caught in Alabama — at 463,892 pounds — was far lower than the previous two years. Recreational anglers caught up to 1.1 million pounds of red snapper in 2020.

“The local impacts to Alabama’s red snapper population are clear,” Moore said. “In 2022, despite the fishing season being open through the end of December, anglers weren’t able to catch anywhere close to as many fish as in the two previous years – a serious sign that fishing effort has been too high, and the local stock of red snapper has been depleted.”

Read the full article at AL.com