SOUTHEASTERN COASTAL STATES — President Donald Trump announced that all state permits for the 2026 recreational red snapper fishing season have been approved, expanding access for anglers across southeastern coastal states. Trump described the approval as a "Huge win" for recreational fishing communities.

"For years, our Great Fishermen have been punished with VERY short Federal fishing seasons despite RECORD HIGH fish populations and the States begging to oversee these permits," Trump said. The policy centers on coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which regulates fisheries and sets quotas and seasons in federal waters. Recreational red snapper fishing has been tightly controlled at the federal level and often limited to brief seasonal openings.

Several southeastern states have pushed for more flexibility by seeking a greater role in setting fishing seasons and expanding the number of days anglers can fish. Catch limits and size requirements still apply, with anglers typically limited to one fish per day in the South Atlantic. A similar state-managed approach for recreational red snapper seasons has been rolled out in the Gulf of Mexico. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis welcomed the expansion to the Atlantic.

"State management and expansion of Gulf snapper season have been a major boon for our Gulf of America communities, allowing so many Floridians and visitors to enjoy the Red Snapper our waters have to offer." DeSantis said. "I was proud to announce that Florida anglers will soon be able to enjoy more Atlantic Red Snapper fishing as well. The Trump Administration has taken action to rein in the bureaucracy and return this power to the states, where it belongs."

At its lowest point in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the red snapper spawning stock fell to about 11 percent of its historical level. A long-term rebuilding plan for red snapper is set to run through 2044 under strict conservation measures. The Gulf red snapper population is about ten times larger than the South Atlantic population. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, regulators must set annual catch limits to prevent overfishing.

Federal regulators have set the South Atlantic recreational catch limit at 22,797 fish. A recent two-day season in Florida landed 24,885 red snapper. Ocean Conservancy estimates that catches could reach 485,000 fish over a 39-day season, more than 20 times the annual limit and potentially in breach of federal law. The organization says there has been a decline in the average size of fish under the state-managed system in the Gulf of Mexico, and that anglers report they must travel farther to catch a keeper. Recent Gulf Council meetings have included public testimony from fishermen raising concerns about a downturn in the stock.

"These exempted fishing permits are an end run around sustainable management," said Meredith Moore, Florida conservation director of Ocean Conservancy. "Just last year, NOAA's own analysis showed a two-day season was needed to prevent overfishing. There is no doubt that allowing months-long seasons will lead to overfishing, while unproven data collection means we may not realise the damage until it is done."