By Jeff Angers

Few fisheries in America have sparked more frustration than South Atlantic red snapper. And by frustration, I don’t mean the kind that comes when a trophy fish breaks off at the boat. Rather, I mean the kind of frustration that comes when a burgeoning stock of fish remains locked under rigid federal management with seasons measured in hours and data that never seem to line up with what is really happening on the water, all while anglers sit tied to the dock.

The Tide Turns

But early in 2025, NOAA Fisheries affirmed what we all knew: South Atlantic red snapper is not overfished and not undergoing overfishing. It recovered nearly 20 years ahead of schedule, yet access has remained throttled by outdated data systems and one-size-fits-all federal mandates. That disconnect made red snapper the poster fish for why modern fisheries need modern management.

In September, the marine fisheries directors from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina released a joint Action Plan outlining a pathway for state-based management of South Atlantic red snapper. And in November, each state submitted their coordinated Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application to NOAA, which are now under review. Launching in 2026, these pilot programs will allow the states to test new, state-run data collection and management systems modeled after the successful Gulf of America program that transformed red snapper management there.

Until now, red snapper has been managed by federal overlord bureaucrats in a system designed decades ago, long before modern technology, electronic reporting or real-time data collection were available. Even assuming best intentions, it’s been nearly impossible for federal managers to track effort, catch and release mortality across such a vast and dynamic coastline in a fishery effectively closed for 15 years with only one- to two-day seasons. The result has been a management structure that simply doesn’t match the reality of what is happening on the water.

The States Have the Tools

By contrast, the states have the tools, the technology and the motivation to get it right. They know their anglers, who have strong local knowledge and a vested interest in keeping fisheries healthy and coastal economies thriving. In short, the states are accountable to their people who fish.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve seen it work before. When Gulf states took over red snapper management through a similar EFP in 2018, the change was immediate: longer seasons, stronger conservation outcomes and better data that matched what everyone saw on the water. It became a model for how state-led management can serve both fishermen and fish.

The South Atlantic is Poised to Follow

Governors from Florida, Georgia and South Carolina jointly urged the Department of Commerce and NOAA to transfer management to the states. Bipartisan members of Congress from all four South Atlantic states formed the House South Atlantic Red Snapper Task Force, pressing for better data and a more flexible system. Attorneys General from Florida, Georgia and South Carolina added their support for a shift to state-led management and the Trump Administration is welcoming.

When the states submitted their EFPs on November 10, encouragement came from all corners. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the news at a press conference in Fernandina Beach. State and federal leaders from South Carolina chose Murrells Inlet to announce news of their proposed 62-day season.

Encouragingly, NOAA’s new, dynamic leadership has welcomed these efforts, recognizing that collaboration, sound science and accountability are the keys to getting fisheries management right. That’s a refreshing change from some career bureaucrats who have been head-in-the-sand tied to outdated systems.

Good News

The good news is that the red snapper population is healthy and abundant, and management should reflect that. With better data, stronger partnerships and practical application of science, NOAA and the states can turn red snapper management into a modern success story of conservation, cooperation and progress. When management is guided by those closest to the water, and supported by leadership willing to modernize and collaborate, everyone wins: the anglers, the economies and the fish themselves.

Jeff Angers is the President of the Center for Sportfishing Policy based in Baton Rouge, LA.

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