Saving Seafood

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 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 

NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina fishing lawsuit could reshape state’s coastal industry

February 10, 2026 — In a courthouse 120 miles up Interstate 40 from the Wilmington coast, the future direction of the state’s commercial and recreational fishing industries could soon be decided.

A trial is underway in Raleigh alleging that the state hasn’t effectively managed its fisheries, which are considered a natural resource to be managed for the benefit of all North Carolinians.

Both the state constitution and the 1997 Fisheries Reform Act bound North Carolina to rebuild any fishing stocks that get depleted, which has led the state to get involved in managing several commercially and recreationally important species, including flounder, shrimp, blue crab and striped bass.

But fishery groups and others have complained for years that the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries has failed to adequately do this, leading the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina to sue the state in 2020.

After several court wins for the association against moves by the state to dismiss the case, the trial began Jan. 20.

“After more than five years of fighting to save our fisheries, we are very grateful for this day, when the future of this constitutionally protected, public-trust resource will finally get its day in court,” said David Sneed, the association’s executive director, in a news release. “We look forward to proving our case on the merits and ensuring that a legacy of sustainable coastal fisheries will be there for all our children and grandchildren.”

Read the full article at Star News Online

Critically endangered right whale found dead off NC coast

February 2, 2026 — A critically endangered North Atlantic right whale that a team of responders attempted to disentangle from fishing gear nearly two months ago was found dead earlier this week off the North Carolina coast.

The 4-year-old male, identified as “Division,” died from injuries caused by being entangled.

An aerial survey team on Tuesday spotted what was left of Division’s carcass floating about 25 miles offshore of Avon, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

On Dec. 4, 2025, responders from NOAA Fisheries, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took to the sea to join forces with a Georgia-based aerial survey team from Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute in an effort to document Division’s entanglement and monitor his behavior.

Read the full article at the CoastalReview.org

NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina Coastal Federation seeks commercial fishers for recovery project

January 30, 2026 — The North Carolina Coastal Federation is asking more commercial fishers to enlist in its Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project to locate and collect lost crab pots.

The Federation kicked off the project in January. For 12 years, the Federation worked in cooperation with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to remove lost crab pots from the North Carolina sounds and waterways.

“Every year, crab pots and other fishing gear are lost in our sounds in a variety of ways. Lost gear can get hung up or drift into channels, creating serious hazards for boaters, wildlife, and fishermen,” Federation representatives wrote in a press release.

Commercial fishers are hired to collect pots during the annual closure of internal coastal waters to all crab, eel, fish and shrimp pots. The closure runs Jan. 1-31 for waters north and east of the Highway 58 bridge over Bogue Sound to Emerald Isle, and March 1-15 for waters south and west of the Highway 58 bridge to Emerald Isle.

Read the full article at WECT

Critically endangered right whale found dead off NC coast

January 30, 2026 — A critically endangered North Atlantic right whale that a team of responders attempted to disentangle from fishing gear nearly two months ago was found dead earlier this week off the North Carolina coast.

The 4-year-old male, identified as “Division,” died from injuries caused by being entangled.

An aerial survey team on Tuesday spotted what was left of Division’s carcass floating about 25 miles offshore of Avon, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

On Dec. 4, 2025, responders from NOAA Fisheries, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took to the sea to join forces with a Georgia-based aerial survey team from Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute in an effort to document Division’s entanglement and monitor his behavior.

At that time, Division was off Georgia’s coast near St. Simons Island.

Read the full article at CoastalReview.org

NORTH CAROLINA: NC Coastal Counties Fisheries Coalition to meet Feb. 4

January 27, 2026 — The next meeting of the North Carolina Coastal Counties Fisheries Coalition is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, in Morehead City’s Crystal Coast Civic Center.

The press release from Dare County Tuesday announcing the meeting time and location did not include a proposed agenda but does state that the purpose of the meeting is to “discuss issues related to the fishing industry, and any other issues considered necessary and relevant.”

Read the CoastalReview.org

NORTH CAROLINA: Annual fishing gear recovery kicks off

January 22, 2026 — This month, the North Carolina Coastal Federation kicked off its 12th annual Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project, enlisting the support of 21 dedicated commercial fishermen and women. This initiative aims to locate and remove displaced and potentially dangerous fishing gear along the northern and central coast, noted NCCF. Throughout the month, crews will diligently search designated areas to recover lost crab pots, which pose serious threats to boaters, wildlife and the fishing community.

“Each year, crab pots and other gear are lost in our coastal waters due to various circumstances, creating hazards that can disrupt both the ecosystem and local fisheries,” stated a news release from NCCF. “Since its inception in 2014, the Federation has successfully led the charge to clear lost gear from North Carolina’s sounds, finding more than 24,000 lost crab pots.”

This year, commercial fishermen will be active from January 8-31, during the annual closure that prohibits the use of crab, eel, fish and shrimp pots in internal coastal waters, specifically north of the Highway 58 bridge to Emerald Isle. Last year, collaborative efforts between commercial watermen and the N.C. Marine Patrol resulted in the recovery of an impressive 2,136 pots across all three Marine Patrol Districts.

NORTH CAROLINA: Coastal cleanup project targets abandoned boats in North Carolina waters

January 21, 2026 — Federal agencies are moving ahead to remove and dispose of 12 abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) in four North Carolina counties, including New Hanover County.

The North Carolina Coastal Federation received funding from the BoatUS Foundation as part of a national effort to remove hundreds of ADVs from coastal waterways.

The federation, partnering with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and local governments, will remove ADVs in commercial fishing communities such as Sneads Ferry, Swan Quarter, Engelhard and Carolina Beach.

Read the full article at WECT