Last summer, fishermen in Florida and Georgia were surprised to find out their Atlantic red snapper recreational season boiled down to just one single day – and one single fish.
The new shortened federal season and regulations were put in place by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to help protect the red snapper population.
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Thursday, Jacksonville congressmen John Rutherford (FL-05) introduced a new bipartisan bill to force new population numbers analysis before any more restrictions are put in place. They argue the current numbers are outdated, and that the population has bounced back significantly.
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“For over a decade, the South Atlantic fishing community has worked hard to rebuild the red snapper stock, a highly sought after reef fish that plays an integral role in our local economy,” said Rutherford. “Thanks to their concerted efforts, anglers are seeing more red snapper off the coast of Northeast Florida than ever before.
“Widespread bottom closures that threaten Northeast Florida’s fishing economy are not the answer.”
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Also co-sponsoring the bill is Jacksonville congressman Aaron Bean, Georgia congressman Buddy Carter and Senator Rick Scott.
The Red Snapper Act (H.R. 470) would prevent NOAA from making sweeping management decisions until the ongoing South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count is complete and new information can be integrated into the stock assessment. The Great Red Snapper Count is an independent study Congress has funded over the last five years that will deliver new data on the red snapper stock in 2025.
Also similar bill was introduced in 2022.
“Florida’s anglers deserve dependable access to red snapper fishing and it’s on us to ensure they do,” said Rutherford. “Let Floridians fish.”
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