Florida fishery managers “adjusted” their approach for recreational red snapper fishing in the Atlantic Ocean after a judge paused Florida’s and three other southern states’ proposed new fishing plans, which significantly increased the number of allowed days.
Anglers in Florida were supposed to have the first 29 days of a new 39-day red snapper fishing season in the Atlantic on May 22, but U.S. Judge Rudolph Contreras issued an injunction against implementing the new days on the eve of the season starting.
“While this decision delays the program for now, the FWC remains committed to supporting Florida’s Atlantic anglers and fishing communities as the process moves forward,” FWC spokesperson Shannon Knowles wrote to TCPalm on May 22. “The FWC has adjusted its approach to maintain access to red snapper fishing in Florida’s Atlantic state waters. Effective May 21, the FWC rescinded EO 26-11, allowing recreational anglers to continue harvesting red snapper in Atlantic state waters under existing Florida regulations.”
Florida modifies red snapper proposal
As authorized by Florida Administrative Code, the recreational bag limit will default to:
These regulations will remain in effect until further notice, Knowles said.
“FWC also remains committed to implementing Florida’s historic Atlantic Red Snapper Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) if the program is reinstated,” Knowles told TCPalm. “At that time, FWC will issue an updated Executive Order reestablishing the extended Atlantic red snapper season, including expanded access to additional Atlantic federal fishing waters. FWC officers have been advised of the evolving situation and will continue providing education and guidance to boaters and anglers regarding current regulations within Florida’s jurisdictional waters.”
President Donald Trump on May 1 announced the 2026 recreational red snapper fishing season would be:Florida: May 22-June 20, then Oct. 2-4, Oct. 9-11 and Oct. 16-18Georgia and the Carolinas: 62 days, starting July 1
Lawsuit temporarily halts new red snapper rules in four states
Southeastern Fisheries Association and several commercial fishers filed a lawsuit on May 5 challenging the plan. Judge Contreras agreed the regulations that set the new days are “arbitrary and capricious,” he wrote. The Ocean Conservancy filed a legal brief supporting the lawsuit.
“The injunction offers the first real hope that we might prevent overfishing from driving red snapper back into decline,” Ocean Conservancy’s Senior Director of Fish Conservation Meredith Moore said. “But I’m deeply concerned about the plan for fishing announced by the state of Florida. With no season length, no estimate on catch, and no guarantees that fishing will be restricted to state waters, Florida’s plan risks putting us right back to what led to this lawsuit in the first place.
“Science simply does not support allowing fishing at this rate, and our coastal communities will ultimately pay the price.”
Data showed the fish are too young to reproduce fast enough to rebuild the stock, especially with explosive population growth and more and better fishing and boating technology, the lawsuit argued.
In Florida alone, 485,000 red snapper could be caught in 2026 — over 20 times the annual catch limit of 22,797. That violates the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which is the federal law that governs federal fisheries, the Ocean Conservancy argued. That doesn’t even count the other three states.
During Florida’s two-day season in 2025, anglers landed 24,885 red snapper, which also exceeded the annual catch limit.
The new proposed days will “decimate the red snapper fishery,” Southeastern Fisheries Association Executive Director Bob Zales told TCPalm.
Tim O’Hara is TCPalm’s environment reporter. Contact him at tim.ohara@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida adjusts red snapper fishing rules after judge halts season
Reporting by Timothy O’Hara, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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