With over 4 million licensed anglers, Florida is the fishing capital of the world. Since Florida assumed state management of Gulf waters in 2018, we’ve expanded opportunities for anglers to fish for snapper in the Gulf year after year—and this year’s 127-day Gulf Red Snapper Recreational Season is the longest in history. But for too long, heavy-handed bureaucrats at NOAA Fisheries have shut off Florida anglers from the Atlantic red snapper harvest despite record abundance.
The Trump Administration has taken bold steps to reverse decades of failed federal control and to empower state-led management. This morning in Fernandina Beach, I was pleased to announce that
@MyFWC has submitted an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to allow state management of the recreational red snapper fishery in federal waters.
Taking control of Atlantic red snapper management puts Florida’s future back in our own hands by empowering our fishermen, protecting our waters, fueling our coastal economy, and strengthening the Free State of Florida.