Saving Seafood

NORTH CAROLINA: Pilot project extends summer red snapper season 62 days

May 6, 2026 — Recreational red snapper season will be open 62 days this summer for anglers willing to take part in a pilot project designed to monitor the tightly regulated fishery.

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries is one of four Southeastern states to receive a federal exempted fishing permit, or EFP, that lets anglers take part in testing out a data-collection program that will use a mobile application to monitor the recreational red snapper season. The hook-and-line-only season will be July 1-Aug. 31.

Anglers who would like to participate must dowwnload the VESL mobile application to receive a copy of the EFP, which they will be required to keep throughout the season. Participants must agree to record their red snapper harvest and discard information.

Read the full article at CoastalReview.org

Future of the Catch: the Modernization of Recreational Red Snapper Data Collection

May 4, 2026 — Red snapper is a cultural and economic cornerstone for coastal communities in the Gulf of America. The species is a massive driver for tourism and local commerce. For many in the Southeast, red snapper fishing is a multi-generational tradition, making it a flagship species for the world’s largest recreational fishery. Effectively managing and preserving this vibrant species requires more than just accuracy, it demands a swift, responsive flow of data.

Technological advancements are shortening data collection timelines. This means scientists are able to collect larger pools of data, faster than ever, and can quickly analyze results to better inform management decisions. NOAA Fisheries deploys AI-driven video and acoustic monitoring devices to count fish in their natural habitat. We also rely on other key components of the data modernization revolution to improve our data.

In 2025, NOAA Fisheries and the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission announced seven new red snapper data improvement projects. On January 1, 2026, these projects began, marking the beginning of a collaborative, state-federal initiative to improve recreational fishing effort and discard data collection in the Gulf. To see this transformation in action, meet three of the partners redefining how we understand and protect the fishery.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Trump, DeSantis herald extended Atlantic red snapper season

May 4, 2026 — President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that federal regulators had approved a permit for Florida to temporarily take over management of recreational red snapper fishing off the Atlantic coast.

Under Florida’s earlier proposed plan, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission would be allowed to manage Atlantic red snapper through 2028. The state’s plan would give Atlantic recreational anglers a 39-day red snapper fishing season this year, a massive spike compared to last year’s two-day season. Exempted fishing permits were also given to Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

As of Friday evening, NOAA Fisheries had not officially published its approval. Multiple agency spokespeople did not respond to requests for information on the permit approvals.

Read the full article at E&E News

FLORIDA: Florida pushes for longest recreational red snapper season in 15 years

February 18, 2026 — Florida’s Atlantic Coast could see its longest red snapper season in more than 15 years if federal regulators approve a proposal to shift management of the fishery to the state.

According to a Feb. 12 article by Action News JAX, Florida and three other Southern states have petitioned the federal government to test state-led management of Atlantic red snapper. If approved, Florida’s plan would establish a 30-day season beginning in May, followed by three additional three-day openings in the fall. This would be a significant expansion compared to the short, highly restricted season anglers have faced for nearly two decades.

Charter captain Adam Petnuch of Reel Dream Fishing Charter in St. Augustine told Action News he has fished the South Atlantic for more than a decade and have never seen a full-length red snapper season.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

States could net control of red snapper season

February 17, 2026 — The Trump administration is taking steps toward shifting regulatory authority over red snapper in Atlantic Ocean federal waters to states, a move that some state leaders have argued is necessary to sustain their sportfishing economies.

NOAA Fisheries announced Wednesday it would open a 25-day comment period on “exempted fishing permits” for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

The permits would allow the states to “test new data collection methods and strategies for state-led management of the recreational red snapper fishery,” the agency said.

Read the full article at E&E News

Debate grows over NOAA plan to expand snapper access

February 13, 2026 — Today, NOAA Fisheries announced that they are accepting public comments on applications for Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

These permits propose to extend recreational fishing seasons for vulnerable red snapper in the South Atlantic. Overfishing drove the red snapper population to just 11 percent of its historical abundance; in response, seasons were reduced as part of a rebuilding plan set to last through 2044.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

NOAA Fisheries opens public comments on state-led recreational red snapper management, renewing concerns of overfishing

February 13, 2026 — NOAA Fisheries has opened a 25-day public comment period on four new state-led pilots for managing recreational red snapper, reigniting debate over how abundant the stock is in the South Atlantic.

“As an avid fisherman, I understand the adventure and thrill of the catch,” NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Eugenio Piñeiro Soler said in a release. “The EFPs [Exempted Fishing Permits] propose to open up more opportunities for our recreational fishermen, while supporting sustainable red snapper population levels. NOAA Fisheries is committed to improving our partnerships and collecting better recreational data to bolster science-based fisheries management.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NOAA leaps forward on collaborative approach for red snapper

February 11, 2026 — NOAA Fisheries announced today a major collaborative step toward boosting red snapper recreational fishing opportunities in the South Atlantic. The agency invites public comments on applications for Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The EFPs are designed to test new data collection methods and strategies for state-led management of the recreational red snapper fishery.

This 25-day public comment period marks an important step in NOAA’s review and consideration of management strategies for the recreational harvest of red snapper, which will balance sustainability and economic benefits. These actions are also expected to increase opportunities for American recreational fishermen.

Read the full article at NOAA 

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