Saving Seafood

The Longest Atlantic Red Snapper Season in Years Is on Hold

May 26 2026 — When the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) in early May to states from North Carolina south, Atlantic red snapper anglers couldn’t hold in their excitement. That’s because offshore anglers in the South Atlantic have been completely handcuffed from targeting and keeping red snapper for years. Since 2020, the red snapper season in Atlantic federal waters has been just one to four days in July. Even before 2020, the red snapper season has been in overhaul mode since 2010 — there hasn’t been an Atlantic federal recreational season that’s exceeded 8 days since then.

The EFPs are a way for the states to finally have longer recreational red snapper seasons in 2026. Officially, NMFS said:

“The EFPs allow the states to pilot test state data collection and management strategies for the recreational harvest of red snapper in 2026. The EFPs are intended to improve data on recreational fishing effort and catch of red snapper in the South Atlantic and to inform the development of a long-term state-led management strategy for the recreational harvest of red snapper.”

What that means for anglers is a 2026 season that spans months, not a weekend. Off Florida, anglers in federal waters receive 39 days (May 22 – June 20, October 2-4, October 9-11, and October 16-18), while Georgia and the Carolinas enjoy 62 days (July 1 – August 31). Bag limit is just one red snapper a day, but that couldn’t stop the overall buzz and excitement around the docks.

First up was the Sunshine State. In Florida, anglers readied their boats for a Memorial weekend fishing trip, while charters from Jacksonville south were booked with expectant bottom fishermen. As part of the EFPs, anglers are required to declare their fishing trip and report back their red snapper catches.

Read the full article at Wired2fish.com

FLORIDA: US court temporarily halts expansion of Southeast Atlantic recreational red snapper fishing

May 22, 2026 — The United States District Court for the District of Columbia has issued a preliminary injunction temporarily halting four states from expanding their recreational red snapper fishing seasons under exempting fishing permits (EFP) issued earlier in May.

“The South Atlantic EFPs for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina are no longer in effect until further order from the Court, and the recreational harvest of red snapper in the South Atlantic remains closed,” NOAA Fisheries said in a 21 May statement. “All recreational fishing under these South Atlantic EFPs is not authorized, including tomorrow’s start date of May 22, 2026, for Florida’s recreational red snapper season.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

FLORIDA: FWC slams ‘rogue’ judge as red snapper season gets torpedoed on eve of opener

May 22, 2026 — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is battling a federal court ruling that has thrown the state’s red snapper fishing season into chaos, just as anglers were gearing up for the opening day.

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia granted a preliminary injunction on Thursday against the recently approved Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) that were set to allow fishing for this popular species in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

As a result of the court’s decision, all recreational fishing under these EFPs is suspended, effectively closing the red snapper season until further notice.

Read the full article at CBS 12

NORTH CAROLINA: Commercial gill net fishing to resume in several North Carolina waters next week

May 20, 2026 — Commercial gill net fishing is set to resume in several North Carolina waters next week.

The Division of Marine Fisheries announced that starting Monday, parts of eastern Pamlico Sound, Core Sound, and waters down to the South Carolina line will reopen. These areas operate under a federal permit designed to limit interactions with protected sea turtles and sturgeon.

Read the full article at Public Radio East

Dominion Energy to merge with Florida company, creating a utility titan

May 19, 2026 — The combined company would serve 10 million customers and have dual headquarters in Florida and Richmond.

Florida-based NextEra Energy on Monday announced plans to acquire Dominion Energy, creating what officials called “the world’s largest regulated electric utility business,” worth more than $400 billion.

The companies have entered a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock, tax-free transaction, according to a joint news release. They will need approval from state and federal regulators.

“This combination brings together two strong operating platforms and creates an even stronger energy partner for Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida, with the scale and balance sheet to deliver the generation, transmission and grid investments our customers and economies need,” Dominion president and CEO Robert Blue said in the statement.

The combined company, serving about 10 million customers, would use NextEra’s name on the stock exchange, with dual headquarters in Richmond and Juno Beach, Florida. But Dominion will continue to operate under its own name.

NextEra shareholders would own about 75%. Dominion shareholders would receive $360 million in cash when the deal closes.

Read the full article at WHRO

 

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

Rising diesel prices force shrimp boats to stay docked

May 4, 2026 — Shrimp boats are sitting at the dock as rising diesel fuel prices force local seafood businesses to cut back on trips to sea.

The average price for diesel fuel in North Carolina is now more than $5.50 per gallon, according to AAA. That’s a $1.50 more than the price this time last year.

Bob Taylor, who has spent 22 years in the seafood business, said the increase is affecting daily operations at Calabash’s Waterfront Seafood Shack.

“Fuel is liquid gold right now. We want it to go back to liquid silver,” Taylor said.

Read the full article at WECT

Right whale births reported highest since 2009

April 29, 2026 — Whale researchers report endangered North Atlantic right whales have completed their most successful calving season since 2009, with 23 mother-calf pairs to help rebuild a population estimated at only about 380 animals.

The annual calving season off the southeastern United States, from the Carolinas to Georgia and Florida, runs from mid-November until mid-April and is closely monitored by aerial survey teams.

Scientists with the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium track the season closely. In an April 29 statement they reported there were shorter intervals between calving for the majority of the adult female whales.

“While a healthy right whale can give birth every three to four years, we had been seeing nearly 10 years between calves for some females. Many of this year’s moms have had shorter intervals—18 of them previously gave birth within the last six years—giving us hope that they may be healthier and can help grow the population faster,” said Amy Warren, scientific program officer for the Anderson Cabot Center.

Read the full article at WorkBoat

NORTH CAROLINA: Webinar set on developing new blue crab stock assessment

April 28, 2026 — A webinar is scheduled for late May to share with the public steps in the process to develop a new benchmark blue crab assessment, intended to better understand population dynamics and determine the fishery’s stock status.

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries is holding the online meeting 6-8 p.m. Thursday, May 28, via WebEx. Register online to join the webinar. There will be a listening station in the division’s office in Morehead City as well.

A 2018 benchmark stock assessment indicates the state’s blue crab stock is overfished, which means that the population size is too small, and overfishing is occurring, which means that the removal rate is too high.

There was a 2023 stock assessment update but division staff and external peer reviewers identified concerns with model specifications and results, so the assessment is not being used for management,” officials said. “However, available data from Division sampling and monitoring programs indicate a continued decline of the Blue Crab stock. The Division has started the process of developing a new benchmark stock assessment.”

Read the full article at CoastalReview.org

Why the US will pay a French company nearly $1 billion to give up wind farm plans

March 30, 2026 — This week, the Trump administration announced it had struck an unusual deal. The U.S. government will pay TotalEnergies, a French power generation company, $928 million to scuttle its plans to build two wind farms off the coasts of New Jersey and North Carolina. Together, the projects could have powered some 1.7 million homes.

The deal represents a new wrinkle in President Donald Trump’s campaign to jettison America’s nascent offshore wind industry, which many environmentalists see as key to reducing the country’s carbon footprint. Mr. Trump has criticized wind power as ineffective and costly, and his administration has tried to curtail wind infrastructure development.

“Offshore wind is one of the most expensive, unreliable, environmentally disruptive, and subsidy-dependent schemes ever forced on American ratepayers and taxpayers,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, in a news release announcing the deal on Monday.