Washington, D.C. – The South Atlantic states are charting their own course. For too long, federal mismanagement kept anglers tied to the dock, while a thriving red snapper population swam just out of reach.

Frustrated red snapper anglers have waited a long time to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and this week they got the news they have been waiting to hear. All four South Atlantic states submitted exempted fishing permit applications to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to commence state management of South Atlantic red snapper.

“If you look at what has happened to Atlantic red snapper in the last four years – two days for recreational red snapper in 2022. Two days in 2023. One day in 2024. Two days in 2025. This is not acceptable,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference on Monday in Fernandina Beach, Fla. “The problem is the states have not been given the responsibility to manage Atlantic red snapper. We’ve had great support from all South Atlantic state governors, congressional delegations and attorneys general to take decisive action and put south Atlantic red snapper management in state hands.”

South Atlantic red snapper is presently managed by NOAA through the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. The fishery has come under intense scrutiny in recent years as recreational fishing seasons have been limited to one or two days – and often closed entirely – despite the population being larger than any person alive has ever seen. Draconian federal restrictions arise from high levels of uncertainty in recreational catch data collected by the federal government.

The exempted fishing permits (EFPs) from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida outline state-based methodologies for improving recreational data and harvest access while still providing necessary conservation. Using data collection methods designed to improve upon the current system used by the federal government, season length in each EFP varies by state, with Florida proposing 39 days. Details from other states with smaller angler populations are still coming into focus, with multiple states proposing 60+ days. The EFPs were sent to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick for approval, and Gov. DeSantis is confident they will be warmly welcomed.

“I think I met with Secretary Lutnick the day he was confirmed to be Secretary of Commerce and this wasn’t the only thing on the agenda, but we did talk about Atlantic red snapper because it is important for a lot of people,” Gov. DeSantis said. “I have spoken with President Trump and Secretary Lutnick and they are receptive to this and they support us being able to move ahead with what we are doing. It is good to see those discussions bearing fruit.”

As in the Gulf of America, it is expected that the South Atlantic states will closely monitor recreational harvest and tailor seasons to better fit local conditions. The Gulf states have been able to offer split seasons or prolong red snapper accessibility through weekends-only seasons, options that were impossible under one-size-fits-all federal management.

“We have seen in the Gulf that when the states are tasked with collecting data on their recreational red snapper anglers and managing their seasons, satisfaction goes up and controversy melts away,” said Ted Venker, conservation director for Coastal Conservation Association. “We are grateful to the state agencies in the South Atlantic for taking on this responsibility and beginning the process of enhancing access to this public resource.”

"The South Atlantic has long been trapped in a broken bureaucratic federal system that limits opportunity to access a plentiful public resource,” said Jeff Angers, president of Center for Sportfishing Policy. “We’ve seen in the Gulf of America: when states take the lead, anglers, conservation and coastal communities all win. This is the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for.”

“Anglers from North Carolina to Florida should be elated with the EFPs submitted by their state marine fisheries agencies yesterday,” said Chris Horton, senior director of fisheries policy for Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. “The federal recreational data collection program has failed them for years, and the South Atlantic states have stepped up to say, ‘we can do it better’ with more reliable angler catch information and more appropriate fishing access, beginning with red snapper.”

“ASA is incredibly thankful to the South Atlantic states for recognizing the importance of the red snapper fishery to anglers, coastal communities, and the economy of our region,” said Martha Guyas, southeast fisheries policy director for American Sportfishing Association. “The proposed EFPs are a critical step in not only restoring recreational harvest opportunities but also advancing much-needed data collection improvements that can inform better management moving forward.”