Florida anglers to benefit from red snapper plan
The tackle trade and anglers are cheering a decision to open up the red snapper fishery in Florida after several years of conservation efforts left them frustrated at previous access.
At a press conference in Fernandina Beach, Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis revealed the state will take over management of red snapper off its Atlantic Coast.
The Governor, alongside Roger Young, the executive director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), sent a request to the Secretary of Commerce to implement an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP).
The EFP calls for a 39-day recreational fishing season for red snapper in the South Atlantic for Florida anglers. The season will be divided into two segments –from Memorial Day weekend (May 22nd) to June 20th, with the second over the course of multiple three-day weekends in October (October 2nd to 4th, 9th to 11th and 16th to 18th.)
Martha Guyas, Southeast Fisheries Policy Director for industry body the American Sportfishing Association, said: “The ASA applauds the Governor and FWC for taking this momentous step toward providing reasonable access to South Atlantic red snapper while promoting conservation and supporting our state’s $11.1 billion recreational fishing industry.
“We’ve witnessed the benefits of state management in the Gulf for years and we’re hopeful anglers and the industry will now experience these same benefits in the Atlantic for 2026 and beyond.”
The proposed 39-day season matches the initial season in the Gulf when Florida took over management in 2018. In 2025, the Gulf recreational red snapper season is open 126 days, a testament to the state’s ability to manage access and conservation goals in tandem.
There are more red snapper in the South Atlantic now than any time in recent history, a fact agreed on by anglers, the industry and fisheries managers.
However, the sacrifices made by the recreational fishing community to rebuild the stock to this point have not been met with reciprocal access to the fishery. In 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) allowed just a two-day recreational red snapper season and only a single day in 2024.
The ASA maintains this limited season is largely due to flawed estimates of recreational discards from the Marine Recreational Information Program, the tool NOAA uses to conduct stock assessments, which even the agency acknowledges overestimates fishing effort by 30 40 per cent.
The ASA is optimistic this proposal will be met warmly by the Trump administration and the Secretary of Commerce, who oversees NOAA, and that it will be implemented in short order. Other South Atlantic states are submitting similar requests.
Martha added: “We are grateful for Governor DeSantis’ leadership on this issue and to the Florida Congressional delegation, particularly Representatives Rutherford and Soto, as well as Senator Scott, for their unwavering support in Washington DC.”
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