TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “officially accepted Florida’s request to assume management of red snapper in the South Atlantic by opening the proposal for public comment.”DeSantis said on X that “this move positions Florida to receive approval prior to the 2026 Atlantic Snapper Season, which we’ve proposed to begin in May.”
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The proposal included:
- A 39-day recreational season
- Two-phased season
- Summer: From May 22 (Memorial Day Weekend) through June 20
- Fall: Three-day weekends in October (Oct. 2–4, 9–11, and 16–18)
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For the past eight years, the state has managed private recreational red snapper in the Gulf, turning what was once a three-day season into an over 120-day season in 2025. In 2025, the Red Snapper season in the Atlantic was only two days long.
NOAA said the public may also provide comments on the EFP applications to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (also known as the South Atlantic Council) during the March 2-6 meeting, which will be held at Villas by the Sea Resort, 1175 North Beachview Drive, Jekyll Island, Ga.
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