On Thursday, U.S. Congressmen John H. Rutherford (FL-05), Buddy Carter (GA-01), Russell Fry (SC-07), and David Rouzer (NC-07), co-chairs of the South Atlantic Red Snapper Task Force, sent a bicameral letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. The letter supports the Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) applications from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina that seek approval for improved state data collection and state-led management of the recreational red snapper fishery in federal waters of the South Atlantic.
The letter was also signed by Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Ashely Moody (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), and several other representatives from Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
“These requests from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina are the result of years of conservation work, collecting better data, and improving management techniques,” said Rutherford. “In fact, for years, I have heard from anglers that they see more red snapper now than ever before. Sadly, despite this success, anglers continue to face one- and two-day seasons, barring them access to a healthy, abundant resource even after years of conservation and compliance. That must come to an end. That’s why as a co-chair of the South Atlantic Red Snapper Task Force in the House, I remain committed to supporting state management. I look forward to working with Governor DeSantis and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission to fight for recreational anglers in Northeast Florida and the Great State of Florida. Our states and governors are ready to lead the way by applying proven methods to collect high-quality data, expand sustainable harvests, and support the coastal economies that depend on this fishery. Together, let’s Make Fishing Great Again.”
“Federal, one-size-fits-all policies have choked Georgia’s recreational fishing industry for years. State-based management is the common-sense solution. Georgia anglers are the experts and better equipped to set conservation and fishing policies that protect fish stocks and our way of life. I’m proud that Georgia submitted this request and urge the Trump administration to swiftly approve it,” said Carter.
“South Carolina’s anglers and fishers are essential to our way of life and our economy,” said Fry.“Those who make their living on the water know these fisheries best.State-led management is the commonsense solution, allowing our states to use better data, extend seasons, and strengthen our coastal communities.”
“I strongly support North Carolina’s request for autonomy over red snapper season and urge the Trump Administration to move quickly so these reforms are in place by the 2026 season. For years, rigid federal rules have meant one- or two-day red snapper seasons in the South Atlantic even as they are plentiful in our waters.That makes no sense for our coastal economy or for conservation.Under state leadership,we can use up-to-date local data to protect the red snapper population while allowing anglers in the South Atlantic more predictableand responsible fishing opportunities.” said Rouzer.
The task force aims at improving data collection efforts for more predictable fishing seasons.Recently,Rutherford led letters from state delegations requesting longer seasonsand increased state control over fisheries management.The EFP request from Floridaincludes assumingstate managementof red snapperin federal watersanda 39-dayrecreationalseasonfor 2026.This would run continuouslyfrom May22to June20and reopenin Octoberfor three weekends.
The full letter reads: “We,the undersigned Membersof Congress representingthe South Atlantic region,writeto expressour strong supportfor Florida,G eorgia,S outhCarolina,andNorthCarolina’sExemptedFishingPermit(EFP)applications thatrequestapprovalto improve statedata collectioneffortsand implementstate-ledmanagementoftherecreationalredsnapperfisher yinfederalwatersintheSouthAtlanticregion.”
“For too long,recreationalanglersintheSouthAtlantichavebeenlargelyshutoutofredsnapperharvestopportunitiesdespiteunprecedentedgrowthandrecordabundanceinthisfishery.Thissignifiesthatthecurrentmanagementsystemisoutofstepwiththeon-the-waterreality.Despitefisherymanagers’ success rebuildingthestockformorethanadecade ,anglerscontinuetofaceone-or two-dayseasons,a frustratingcyclethatleavesthemunabletoaccessahealthyandabundantresourceevenafteryearsofconservationandcompliance.”
“OnJune11 ,2025 ,NOAA’sNationalMarineFisheriesService(NMFS)finalizedAmendment59 ,establishingnewmeasurestoendandpreventoverfishing.WethankyouforrejectingthebottomclosuresthatwereproposedbytheBidenAdministration .ClosingbottomfishingfromDecembertoFebruaryfor55speciesofftheeastcoastofFloridawouldhavebeendevastatingtotheregion’seconomy.Thedrasticnatureofthatproposalunderscorestheneedf orsignificantchangestoSouthAtlanticredsnappermanagementtoensurereasonableharvestopportunities.”
“TheSouthAtlanticstates’EFPrequestsalignwithPresidentTrump’sApril2025ExecutiveOrderonRestoringAmericanSeafoodCompetitiveness ,whichdirectstheDepartmentofCommerceandNOAAtoexpandtheuseofEFPsandmodernizedatacollectionsofisherymanagementdecisionscanrespondtoreal-timeconditions.UndertheserequestedEFPs ,stateswilldevelopandtestreliabledata collectionprogramsthatimproveourunderstandingoftheRedSnapperstockandexpandfishingopportunitiesforanglersthroughmoreaccurate,responsivemanagement.”
“Wehaveaprovenmodel.DuringPresidentTrump’sfirstterm ,hisadministrationapprovedstatemanagementEFPsforredsnapperintheGulf,movingmanagementdecisionsclosertotheresource.Thatdecisionimprovedstockhealth,strengtheneddatacollection,andledtolonger ,morepredictablefishingseasons.In2025 ,FloridahaditslongestseasonsincestatemanagementbeganintheGulf ,at126days ,whichisadramaticimprovementoverthe3federalseasondaysin2017.Thatexperience showswhathappenswhenStatesareinthelead:withbetterdataandmoreresponsivemanagement ,anglersgainaccess ,conservationismaintained,andcoastalcommunitiesbenefit.TheseareoutcomesthatFlorida,G eorgia,S outhCarolina,andNorthCarolinashouldbeabletorealizeintheSouthAtlantic.”
“Now,duringPresidentTrump’ssecondterm ,thereisanopportunitytoextendtheGulf ’ssuccessfulstate-ledredsnappermanagementintheSouthAtlantic.Theregion’ sstatesarereadytoleadbyapplyingprovenmethodstocollecthigh-qualitydata ,expandsustainableharvests,and supportthecoastaleconomiesthatdependonthisfishery.”
“Mr.Secretary,weurgeyourdepartmenttoworkswiftlywithFlorida,G eorgia,S outhCarolina,andNorthCarolinat oapprovetheseEFPsandauthorizestate-ledmanagementofredsnapperintheSouthAtlanticbeginningin2026.Welookforwardtoworkingwithyoutoadvancestatemanagementforthebenefitoffishermen,c onservation,andourcoastaleconomy.”
John Rutherford has represented Florida’s 5th district in Congress since 2017 after replacing Ander Crenshaw; he previously served in Florida’s House of Representatives https://www.rutherford.house.gov/about. Born in Omaha in 1952,Rutherford livesin Jacksonville.Hewas educated atFloridaStateUniversity.
