States Seek Control of Red Snapper Management

Three Southern States Push for Control of Red Snapper Management

Three southern states - Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina - have jointly requested a shift in management authority for South Atlantic red snapper. The states' attorneys general have written to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, arguing that the current federal management, led by NOAA, is flawed and harming local sportfishing economies in the United States.

The letter, sent in October 2022, contests NOAA's management of red snapper, claiming it's based on flawed science. The states want to take over management of snapper in federal waters beyond 3 nautical miles from their shores. This includes setting catch limits, deciding fishing season openings and closings, and permitting fishing vessels. Additionally, the states want responsibility for conducting population surveys for snapper and other reef fish in these federal waters in the United States.

To facilitate this transfer, the states propose using 'exempted fishing permits'. Despite a thorough search, no results link Howard Lutnick to this specific request. However, the letter emphasizes that states are best equipped to manage their own natural resources in the United States.

The three states are pushing for a change in management authority, aiming to better protect and sustain the South Atlantic red snapper population while boosting their local sportfishing economies in the United States. The Commerce Department is expected to consider this request, which could significantly alter the management of this vital fish species in the region.