Saving Seafood

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

FLORIDA: Florida’s Boater Freedom Act could harm fisheries, impede conservation, critics say

July 1, 2025 — A measure prohibiting vessel searches that stem from safety inspections on the water is among a slew of laws to be enacted in Florida this week.

It halts a long-running practice in which state and local marine law enforcement could stop boaters and board their vessels without probable cause.

Gov. Ron DeSantis says long-standing vessel searches have “unnecessarily created friction” between boaters and law enforcement.

Read the full article at Tampa Bay Times

FLORIDA: Florida congressmen seek EEZ ban on shark feeding

June 24, 2025 — Two Florida congressmen introduced a bill that would prohibit shark feeding in federal waters off their state – both extending Florida’s own state waters ban on the practice, and adopting a measure already in effect in the U.S. EEZ around Hawaii and Pacific islands.

The “Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025” was introduced June 6 by Republican Rep. Daniel Webster and Democratic Rep. Darren Soto as “bipartisan legislation that prohibits shark feeding in the exclusive economic zone off the State of Florida,” according to the legislators.

“As a Floridian and member of the House Natural Resources Committee, I am committed to the responsible stewardship of our marine ecosystems and safety of our waters,” Webster said inannouncing the bill. “This legislation mirrors current Florida law which helps ensure the safety of Floridians and provide commonsense conservation of marine wildlife.”

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

FLORIDA: Florida representatives want to ban shark feeding to stop red snapper depredation

June 19, 2025 — Two lawmakers from the U.S. state of Florida want to ban shark feeding off the state’s coast, claiming the practice leads to increased activity and depredation of red snapper.

“As a Floridian and member of the House Natural Resources Committee, I am committed to the responsible stewardship of our marine ecosystems and safety of our waters,” U.S. Representative Daniel Webster (R-Florida) said in a statement. “This legislation mirrors current Florida law, which helps ensure the safety of Floridians and provide commonsense conservation of marine wildlife.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

FLORIDA: Florida Safe Seas Act to Prohibit Shark Feeding in the EEZ off Florida’s Coast

June 17, 2025 — “As a Floridian and member of the House Natural Resources Committee, I am committed to the responsible stewardship of our marine ecosystems and the safety of our waters,” said Rep. Webster. “This legislation mirrors current Florida law, which helps ensure the safety of Floridians and provide commonsense conservation of marine wildlife.”

The Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025 is supported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Jupiter Dive Center, American Sportfishing Association, and Bonefish and Tarpon Trust.

“The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) applauds Congressmen Webster and Soto for introducing the Florida Safe Seas Act,” said Martha Guyas, ASA’s Southeast Fisheries Policy Director. “With depredation by sharks on the rise, anglers are increasingly concerned about the practice of shark feeding, which conditions sharks to associate humans and boats with food.”

“I wholeheartedly support the Florida Safe Seas Act that seeks to prohibit the feeding of sharks in federal waters off the State of Florida. This critical measure will protect shark populations, promote healthier marine ecosystems, and enhance the safety of our waters. By taking this step, we affirm our responsibility to preserve the delicate balance of ocean life and ensure a sustainable future for both marine wildlife and the communities that depend on them,” said Gerald Carroll, Owner of Jupiter Dive Center.

“Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) thanks Congressman Webster and Congressman Soto for their leadership in keeping Floridians safe. The Florida Safe Seas Act would prohibit the hand-feeding of sharks in federal waters off the coast of Florida, therefore mirroring the current prohibition in Florida state waters. The state of Florida prohibits the feeding of all wildlife, including alligators, on state property. The National Park Service prohibits the feeding of wildlife in national parks. This legislation is a common-sense approach to keeping Florida’s federal waters safe,” said Jessica McCawley, Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries Management.

Read the full article at ECO Magazine

NOAA reverses course on winter Florida groundfish ban

June 10, 2025 — In a victory for sport fishermen, NOAA has scrapped a proposed rule that would have banned fishing for 55 fish species off Florida’s Atlantic coast during the winter to aid the recovery of overfished red snapper, one of the region’s most prized sport species.

In a bulletin announcing a suite of changes to federal management of South Atlantic red snapper, NOAA said it had axed the three-month ban — called a “discard reduction season” — on dozens of species that share the same near-bottom habitat with snapper, citing heavy opposition from fishing interests.

Those species include black sea bass, red grouper, vermillion snapper, gag, scamp, greater amberjack and gray triggerfish.

Read the full article at E&E News

Florida Man Sentenced to 30 Days for Shooting and Poisoning Dolphins

May 27, 2025 — For years, Zackary Barfield of Panama City, Fla., made his living on the Gulf of Mexico guiding fishing charters, often with dolphins trailing close behind, riding the boat’s wake. But when the dolphins began stealing red snapper from his clients’ lines, prosecutors say, the longtime captain turned predator.

Between 2022 and 2023, Mr. Barfield laced baitfish with pesticide and shot at dolphins from his boat, doing so once in front of “two elementary-aged children,” the U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of Florida said on Friday in a statement.

Mr. Barfield, 31, was sentenced this week to 30 days in prison and fined $51,000 for three counts of poisoning and shooting dolphins, violating both the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, according to federal prosecutors.

His sentence will be followed by one year of supervised release. Mr. Barfield pleaded guilty to the charges on Feb. 12, according to court documents.

Read the full article at The New York Times

Gulf fish farming project at risk as judge pulls nationwide permit

May 2, 2025 — A federal judge repealed a nationwide permit for industrial fish farming off the coasts of Florida and California. Instead, the company leading the project will have to turn to individualized permits.

Ocean Era, a Hawaii-based company, proposed a series of industrial fishnets, including three that would be located roughly 45-miles southwest of Sarasota.

Their proposal predates a President Donald Trump 2020 executive order that initially created these “blanket” permits that could be granted by the Army Corp of Engineers.

With U.S. District Judge Kymberly Evanson revoking the nationwide permit on March 17, Ocean Era would have to turn to individualized permits to create fish farms.

Read the full story at WUWF

FLORIDA: Gov. DeSantis announces longest Gulf red snapper season

April 29, 2025 — Florida is ready to allow its longest-ever Gulf red snapper recreational season for 2025. Anglers will be allowed to harvest the gamefish for a total of 126 days total, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday.

Gulf red snapper management was previously handled by the federal government, but they shifted management to Gulf states over the years.

“When I became governor, a lot of anglers would tell me the way the federal government was managing the red snapper was not an accurate representation of what was actually there,” DeSantis said.

Read the full story at the South Florida Sun Sentinel

Florida Keys lobster industry, reliant on Chinese consumers, braces for potential tariff impact

April 24, 2025 — In Conch Key, Kelly Cordova’s crews are getting traps ready for lobster season.

She’s been on the water her whole life.

“This is our family’s business,” said Cordova. “My mom and dad started when they were 15.”

But even as the Trump administration softens its tone on China tariffs, there’s still uncertainty over the possibility of reciprocal tariffs tacked on to the live lobster they export.

“We don’t know what we’re going to do. It’s really, really scary right now,” said Cordova.

Spiny lobster is a multi-million dollar industry in Florida and the Florida Keys are the biggest producer, harvesting nearly 4 million pounds last season.

Read the full story at Local 10