Saving Seafood

The fight for control of an iconic Florida fish scales up

April 13, 2026 — In the ruby red state of Florida, another crimson symbol often swims through Gov. Ron DeSantis’ remarks: red snapper.

The scarlet bottom-feeder is a prize among anglers, a coveted dish for residents and a goal for tourists hoping to experience a day of Sunshine State recreation. It’s also become part of the state’s cultural heritage, one DeSantis frequently revisits during press conferences around Florida.

But the yearslong battle over how to manage red snapper fisheries is spreading across the state, and has left some commercial fishers and environmental groups worried for the future of the beloved fish.

Florida has applied to take temporary control of the recreational red snapper fishery along the state’s Atlantic Coast through an exempted fishing permit, or EFP. If approved, the state would clinch another victory in its push to expand control of red snapper fisheries and expand access for recreational anglers.

“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 during a November press conference announcing the state’s proposal.

Read the full article at Politico

Cartel catch: Mexican drug gangs fuel illegal red snapper harvests in Gulf of Mexico

March 31, 2026 — The call often comes in the middle of the night to the U.S. Coast Guard station at South Padre Island, Texas, rousing service members from their bunks.

A lancha, typically a slim, 20- to 30-foot boat with an outboard motor, is spotted, overflowing with red snapper, 9 miles off the coast in federal waters.

Best known for its emergency response efforts at sea, the Coast Guard also polices the take of marine species from U.S. waters. In the Gulf of Mexico, its crews board their trademark white-and-orange cutter vessels to catch lanchas suspected of illegally fishing for species such as red snapper and sharks.

“It’s a common problem and it’s been a problem that the Coast Guard has been tackling for decades,” said Lt. Phillip VanderWeit, commanding officer with the Coast Guard’s Gulf Regional Fisheries Training Center, where service members, along with state and local law enforcement, are trained to enforce fisheries regulations and conservation laws.

Lanchas can cast off quickly from the Mexican Gulf coast, with crews of up to six fishermen, known as lancheros. They often travel at night in an attempt to hide from U.S. enforcement agencies, targeting out-of-season or undersized fish with types of gear banned under American law. Their catch often exceeds legal limits, officials said. Other species are also inadvertently caught in their nets.

The lancheros aren’t simply choosing to skirt the law on their own. Officials and researchers who track their activity say they’re often forced into illegal fishing by Mexican drug cartels. Cártel del Golfo (the Gulf Cartel) is considered the primary culprit, according to the U.S. Treasury. Most of its lanchas are based out of Playa Bagdad in Tamaulipas, the Mexican state just across the border from South Padre Island.

Read the full article at Louisiana Illuminator

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 

US senators demand NOAA Fisheries improve enforcement against illegal red snapper harvesting

January 16, 2026 — A group of 10 U.S. senators have penned a joint letter to NOAA Fisheries demanding the agency do more to prevent illegal red snapper from reaching U.S. markets.

“The continued ability to sell illegally harvested red snapper into the U.S. market is a powerful financing source for the [Mexican] cartel and undermines both U.S. fisheries management and national security,” the senators stated in their letter. “We would appreciate NOAA Fisheries’ action in more aggressively applying its existing authorities to ensure that illegally harvested red snapper is not sold in the United States.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

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

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 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

The Future of Red Snapper Data: Using Active Acoustic Monitoring and Artificial Intelligence to Collect Data

April 16 2025 — In February, NOAA Fisheries took the initial steps to collect more comprehensive fisheries data by testing equipment that will be used to estimate the abundance of red snapper in the Gulf of America. We will use advanced video and acoustic cameras, combined with echosounders and artificial intelligence (AI) to collect these data. It’s a first-of-its-kind attempt to develop next generation surveys to improve and automate detection of red snapper, even in low visibility conditions, using acoustic technologies.

A Way of Life for Coastal Communities

Stock assessments include estimates of recreational catch, effort, and discards (when a fish is returned into the ocean dead or alive). They factor into how saltwater fishing seasons are determined. In the Southeast United States, saltwater fishing is a favorite pastime. Offshore fishing in the Gulf of America specifically has been cited as one of the top reasons people visit the region. Red snapper is the flagship species for what is considered to be the largest recreational fishery in the world. Red snapper are highly prized for their cultural and recreational value. Having an idea of their abundance in the Gulf is crucial for the sustainable management of the species and the coastal economies that rely on thriving fisheries.

NOAA Fisheries’ Responsibility

NOAA Fisheries is responsible for monitoring fish populations, managing stocks, and enforcing regulations, operating under 10 National Standards of sustainability. Our Southeast Fisheries Science Center is responsible for providing stock assessments to inform management. These assessments are a scientific report containing information on the collection, analysis, and details on the condition of a fish stock and estimating its sustainable yield. Managing sustainable fisheries is a dynamic process that requires consistent attention to new scientific information that can guide management actions.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Fishermen push for better red snapper management

January 28, 2025 — Red snapper populations in the South Atlantic are once again a topic of heated debate, with potential implications for the commercial fishing industry.

While recreational anglers and policymakers often dominate the region, the concerns of commercial harvesters, who depend on sustainable stocks for their livelihoods, must not be overlooked.

Recent legislative efforts, including introducing the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count Act, aim to reassess population data for red snapper in the region. The act, sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Rutherford, Maria Elvira Salazar, and Austin Scott, seeks to address discrepancies between current stock assessments and anecdotal reports from fishermen. According to The St. Augustine Record, the bill is rooted in concerns that existing data underrepresents red snapper abundance, potentially restricting fishing opportunities unnecessarily.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

NOAA Fisheries drafting plan to end red snapper overfishing in the South Atlantic

October 23, 2024 — NOAA Fisheries has taken the first steps towards implementing a plan to stop red snapper overfishing in the South Atlantic after years of alleged inaction by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. 

“NOAA Fisheries firmly believes that we must find ways to end overfishing and improve how the red snapper population in the South Atlantic is managed,” NOAA Fisheries said in a statement. “Currently, there are short commercial and recreational seasons, and low retention limits for red snapper.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource