By: Kate Kimmel
Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared in Fernandina Beach on Monday to announce an expansion of the 2026 Atlantic private recreational red snapper season. He also acknowledged federal approval of Florida’s Exempted Fishing Permit, which allows the state to assume management of the recreational Atlantic red snapper fishery in both state and federal waters beginning in 2026.
With approval of the permit, Florida will implement a 39-day Atlantic red snapper season in 2026, a significant expansion from the two-day federal season allowed in 2025. The summer season will run from May 22 through June 20. The fall season will take place Oct. 2-4, Oct. 9-11 and Oct. 16-18.
“Florida is empowering our anglers, protecting our waters, and strengthening our coastal economy. And this is just the beginning,” DeSantis said.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Atlantic red snapper population and reproduction numbers are at record highs, and the species is no longer considered overfished or undergoing overfishing. The extended season is also expected to increase data collection and management efforts, allowing anglers to provide information about their fishing trips to the FWC.
Data will be collected through the State Reef Fish Survey, which helps the FWC better estimate how many people are targeting reef fish such as red snapper and gag grouper, as well as what anglers are harvesting and releasing. Surveys are mailed to reef fish angler permit holders and are also conducted in person by FWC biologists at docks used by recreational fishing trips.
The combined survey data is used to estimate the number of recreational fishing trips taken and the total number of reef fish harvested and released each month in Florida waters.
“By pairing expanded access with improved data collection through Florida’s State Reef Fish Survey, we’re proving that smart, state-led management can deliver both better fishing experiences and a more sustainable future for this iconic species,” said Jessica McCawley, director of the FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management.
The EFP also establishes restrictions intended to prevent overfishing. All fishing trips must depart from and return to Florida, and anglers are limited to one red snapper per person per day. Anglers also must comply with a 10-fish snapper-grouper aggregate bag limit, which restricts the total number of certain species harvested per trip.
Anyone fishing for red snapper from a private recreational vessel in state or federal waters must register annually as a State Reef Fish Angler, even if exempt from fishing license requirements.
In addition to the expansions to the Atlantic season, the Gulf recreational fishing season will also be extended to span 140 days, the longest Gulf red snapper season since Florida assumed management in 2018, DeSantis said. Before state management, the season was limited to three days under federal control due to concerns of overfishing.
An article published by NOAA Fisheries states that the red snapper population declined rapidly from 1950 through the late 1980s as commercial and recreational fishing activity increased. The population reached its lowest level in 1990, when spawning potential fell to 2%, which was 24% below the level needed to sustain the population.
The most recent Gulf red snapper stock assessment was completed in May 2018, the same year that Florida gained control of the Gulf from the federal government. The assessment found that the red snapper species was no longer overfished in the Gulf but still required rebuilding, with a stock biomass of 20%, short of the 26% target, according to NOAA Fisheries.
“We’re ready to apply the same proven expertise [shown in the Gulf] to the Atlantic and deliver even stronger outcomes for both the resource and the fishing community,” FWC Executive Director Roger Young said. “Florida has already demonstrated that it can manage the recreational red snapper fishery with precision and results.”
DeSantis said that Florida plans to apply the same management model used in the Gulf to the Atlantic fishery. By using Florida-specific data and real-time management tools, data should better reflect the health of the stock and improve the state’s ability to monitor the fishery and set future seasons.
kkimmel@nassaunewsline.net
