JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Big changes are shaking up red snapper fishing in the South Atlantic, and Florida Congressman John Rutherford says it’s a hard-fought win for the families who depend on the water for their way of life.
NOAA Fisheries just released Amendment 59, scaling back a controversial proposal that would have temporarily banned bottom fishing across much of the Atlantic. Instead, the updated rule now limits recreational red snapper harvest to just under 23,000 fish and allows commercial boats a little more than 102,000 pounds.
Captain Steve Mullen, a longtime Mayport charter fisherman, welcomed the decision.
“That was really a knee-jerk reaction that didn’t need to happen,” Mullen said. “Local fishermen are the best stewards of the fishery because we want the fish to survive.”
Recreational anglers will get just two days to harvest red snapper this year — July 11 and 12 — with a one-fish-per-person limit. Commercial vessels can begin harvesting July 14 until the quota is met.
Rutherford says Amendment 59 is a major step forward because it scraps the originally proposed three-month closure, which had drawn sharp criticism from politicians and the fishing community alike.
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Previous coverage: New bill from local congressman would protect red snapper season
The governors of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina sent a joint letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce urging NOAA to reconsider the original plan, accusing the agency of using outdated science and ignoring economic impacts.
“Seven, eight years ago when I came to Congress, people told me there were so many red snapper they could walk across their backs,” Rutherford said. “We’ve known NOAA’s data was off — and now they’ve finally admitted it.”
The governors want more control at the state level, and Rutherford agrees, saying Florida has already shown it can successfully manage Gulf Coast snapper seasons.
“We’ve got to make sure Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina have the funding and authority to manage their own resources,” Rutherford said.
He credits public pressure for forcing NOAA to back off its stricter plan — calling it a “major victory” for Florida’s 4 million anglers and the coastal families who rely on the fishery to survive.
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