Summary: The National Marine Fisheries Service has approved exempted fishing permits for South Atlantic states, a move supported by the Sportsmen’s Alliance to expand red snapper recreational seasons from days to months.
President Donald Trump recently announced that exempted fishing permit (EFP) applications for red snapper in the South Atlantic from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina have been approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The permits will exempt the applicable state agencies and participating fishermen from specific federal regulations applicable to the recreational harvest of red snapper.
How State Management Impacts Red Snapper Harvest
“We’re applauding the approval of the EFPs for red snapper in the South Atlantic,” said Torin Miller, Associate Litigation Counsel at the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation. “Approval of the permits was always the right move. Cooperative state management of red snapper has been proven effective, and the applicant states have more than shown that they are willing and able to manage red snapper off their respective coasts. We’re celebrating alongside all the South Atlantic red snapper fishermen.”
Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation Advocacy for Anglers
The Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (SAF) submitted extensive comments to NMFS urging the agency to approve the state EFPs. SAF fully supports NMFS’ approval of the permits for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. For years, SAF has been asking NMFS to recognize that the current snapper management structure is not working and that the red snapper stock in the South Atlantic is strong, growing, and available for recreational harvest at levels greatly above those established in recent years.
Extended Fishing Seasons and Conservation Benefits
These permits will increase fishing opportunities for red snapper, provide a robust data set that will inform, and result in a real, positive management change for the red snapper fishery in the South Atlantic. Now, recreational red snapper seasons in federal waters of the coasts of the applicant states will be measured in months – not days, as they have been in the preceding 15 years. The approvals expand access for anglers and advance conservation outcomes, fisheries management, and angler safety.
Protecting Our Fishing Heritage
Issues like these are at the heart of the Sportsmen’s Alliance mission and we will continue to monitor this important issue. Don’t stand on the sidelines join us as a member or a donor of the Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund in protecting tomorrow’s hunting, fishing, and trapping heritage today.
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