Why It Matters: Poor recreational catch data has been the Achilles heel for angler access to the highest biomass of South Atlantic red snapper in history. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has been encouraging a state-led approach for red snapper management in the South Atlantic since the Gulf Council officially implemented state management in 2020. That time has finally come, provided that enough anglers engage to show their support for the South Atlantic states’ exempted fishing permit applications, which are open for public comment until March 10.
Highlights:
- Over the last decade, red snapper populations in the South Atlantic have rebounded faster than anyone expected, while access for recreational anglers has been severely limited or nonexistent.
- The four South Atlantic states have presented plans for collecting better information on red snapper catch and a path forward for better management. The ball is now in our court as anglers to support those plans with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).
Last Friday, NMFS published a notice in the Federal Register seeking comments on the proposed exempted fishing permits (EFPs) recently submitted by Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina to test state data collection and management strategies for the recreational harvest of red snapper beginning in 2026. This represents the most significant step to date in changing a failed management paradigm to one that will provide more appropriate access to healthy fisheries.
Despite the highest red snapper population abundance ever recorded, the 2025 red snapper season in the South Atlantic was measured in mere hours. In contrast, in the Gulf, state red snapper seasons were open for months. The underlying reason for the highly disparate season structures rests with the recreational landings data between the two regions. Faced with a similar challenge of poor recreation data leading to very short seasons in the Gulf more than a decade ago, each state took charge and began developing their own recreational data collection program to supplement or replace the federal Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). The success of those state data programs ultimately allowed the Gulf states to escape the perpetual spiral of more fish in the population equaling fewer days to go fishing.
Leveraging lessons learned in the Gulf, the South Atlantic states collectively developed their proposed plans so that there is more consistency in how recreational catch data is collected and how each state will manage their fishery. While Florida already has a successful State Reef Fish Survey in place, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina will be requiring mandatory trip catch reporting by recreational anglers using an app-based program called VESL. Florida is proposing a 39-day season, while the other three states are seeking a 62-day season. The goal is to convert red snapper that are currently caught out of season and estimated to die after release to fish that are harvested by anglers.
Final approval of the EFPs is contingent upon support from the angling public. CSF highly encourages anglers interested in South Atlantic fisheries to visit this link and support a new path for red snapper management in the South Atlantic. The comment period closes on March 10.
CSF greatly appreciates the leadership of the South Atlantic states in stepping up to the plate, along with the support of the NMFS, to find a better path forward for red snapper management in the region.
