Florida anglers hoping to kick off Memorial Day weekend with the highly anticipated, newly expanded 39-day Atlantic red snapper season hit an unexpected snag.
In a last-minute decision, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a ruling that temporarily paused the extended season just one day before it was set to begin.
Gov. Ron DeSantis fired back, calling the court’s eleventh-hour ruling “disrespectful” and a “bad decision,” but state officials have already adapted to make sure fishermen can still hit the water.
What Caused the Sudden Pause?
The extended 39-day season was originally made possible through Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) issued by NOAA Fisheries, giving Florida and other South Atlantic states more authority over their local recreational management.
However, a lawsuit brought forward by commercial fishing interests and activists successfully blocked those permits.
- The Ruling: The federal court halted all activities under the EFPs for federal waters in the South Atlantic.
- The Fallout: The temporary freeze halts the season not just for Florida, but also for Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
- Federal Waters Status: As it stands, federal waters remain completely closed to recreational red snapper harvest until further notice.
“You know who brought the charge were the commercial fishermen. They don’t want recreational anglers to be able to go out and fish. They want it all for themselves.” — Gov. Ron DeSantis
The Florida Loophole: What You Can Still Catch
While federal waters (beyond 3 nautical miles from the Atlantic coast) are locked down, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) acted quickly to preserve plans for local anglers within state waters.
Because the FWC rescinded its initial expanded emergency order to align with the court’s pause, the rules for state waters have automatically defaulted back to standard Florida regulations.
Current Atlantic Red Snapper Rules (Florida State Waters Only)
Note: The previously announced 39-day pilot program rules (1 fish per day, no size limit) are temporarily suspended while the lawsuit plays out.
What’s Next?
State officials and the FWC have emphasized that they view this federal ruling as a temporary delay tactic and fully intend to appeal the decision.
If the court lifts the freeze on the Exempted Fishing Permits later this year, Florida plans to issue an updated executive order to immediately restore the remaining days of the planned 39-day summer and fall seasons.
Until then, anglers are encouraged to keep their lines wet, stay within the 3-mile state boundary line, and double-check that any kept red snapper meet the 20-inch minimum size requirement.
