We recently alerted members and supporters that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) delivered a huge blow to scientific fisheries management and recreational anglers in the South Atlantic by reducing the red snapper recreational fishing season to one day with a bag limit of one fish per angler.
NOAA Fisheries concluded that the fishery is overfished and will continue to be overfished without regulatory changes. Despite data and evidence to the contrary, NOAA released an emergency temporary rule cutting the South Atlantic commercial red snapper catch limit by 25% and reducing the recreational fishing season to one day. On July 12, recreational fisherman fishing federal waters off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida will get their one chance this year to keep one red snapper.
South Atlantic red snapper are an incredibly popular offshore game fish pursued along the southeastern coast. As you can imagine, recreational anglers are upset with the one-day season, and they’re deeply concerned about the future of red snapper management in the South Atlantic. While the seasons and catch limits for 2024 will stand, anglers and coastal states are raising hell, cash and data to ensure that future seasons are scientifically sound and provide appropriate levels of opportunity and take for recreational anglers.
For instance, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Coastal Resources Division (CRD) has asked recreational snapper anglers to submit carcasses harvested from the one-day season. CRD biologists will utilize the opportunity to collect age, size and growth data. That data will be shared with state and federal partners to inform more accurate snapper management decisions for future seasons.
Fortunately, NOAA seems to be feeling at least some of the heat. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) requested and received from NOAA three Exempted Fishing Permits. These permits allow recreational red snapper harvest outside of the one-day season to aid in data collection. FWC will use the permits to conduct three year-long studies that “will enable FWC to collaborate with anglers, test innovative ways to reduce red snapper discards, increase harvest opportunities and improve angler satisfaction.”
While we continue to join our members and conservation partners in being deeply concerned with NOAA’s missteps in red snapper management in the South Atlantic, we’re encouraged by the response of recreational red snapper anglers and southeastern fish and wildlife agencies. If it’s data NOAA claims it needs, then it’s data it will get!
In the meantime, we’ll be diligently tracking the success and participation of the July 12 season, the collection and presentation of data, and future rulemaking regarding red snapper harvest in the South Atlantic.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance and its supporting Foundation protect and defend America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. The organization accomplishes this mission through several distinct programs, including public education, advocacy, litigation and research. Stay connected to the Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
