Sportfishing Groups Support Rep. Austin Scott’s South Atlantic Red Snapper Fair Access Act

A coalition of leading sportfishing organizations today announced support for the South Atlantic Red Snapper Fair Access Act of 2026, legislation introduced by Congressman Austin Scott (R-GA) to ensure that commercial harvest and sale of South Atlantic red snapper from federal waters does not continue during periods when recreational anglers are prohibited from harvesting the same public resource.

This summer, recreational anglers in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina were set to receive expanded South Atlantic red snapper access through NOAA-approved, state-led Exempted Fishing Permit pilot programs that would have expanded fishing opportunity through advanced recreational data collection and improved management, but those seasons were halted by a preliminary injunction resulting from a lawsuit filed by commercial fishermen.

In recent years, recreational anglers in the South Atlantic have been limited to extremely short red snapper seasons, including one- and two-day openings, while commercial harvest has remained open for substantially longer periods lasting weeks or months. The South Atlantic Red Snapper Fair Access Act establishes a straightforward principle: if federal management prohibits the public from recreational harvest of South Atlantic red snapper in federal waters, then commercial harvest and sale of red snapper from federal waters should also be prohibited during that same closure.

“South Atlantic red snapper is an important public resource, and access to that resource should be managed fairly,” said Rep. Scott. “If commercial fishing interests are concerned enough about the current condition of the red snapper fishery to support shutting down recreational access, then commercial harvest and sale of that same stock, from federal waters, should be limited during the same closure. This bill is not about attacking commercial fishing. It is about making sure conservation burdens are shared fairly.”

“For years, recreational anglers, for-hire operators, tackle shops, marinas and coastal communities have been forced to accept one- and two-day seasons for a fishery that is showing substantial rebuilding progress and historically high abundance on the water,” said Mike Leonard, Vice President of Government Affairs for the American Sportfishing Association. “This year, the states and NOAA Fisheries developed a better path forward through carefully designed pilot programs that would have expanded access while testing recreational data collection improvements. Unfortunately, the pilot programs were halted in court and recreational harvest remains closed. The South Atlantic Red Snapper Fair Access Act is based on a simple and reasonable premise: if the public is not allowed to fish for South Atlantic red snapper, then commercial sale of that public resource should not continue during the same closure.”

“Congressman Scott’s legislation is built on a principle every American understands: fairness. For nearly 15 years, recreational anglers have shouldered the overwhelming share of conservation restrictions while commercial fishing has continued under a different set of rules,” said Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Sportfishing Policy. “NOAA data show the commercial sector exceeded its South Atlantic red snapper harvest quota in nine of the last 13 years — including preliminary 2025 landings of more than 141 percent of its quota. Yet the same commercial interests that have repeatedly exceeded their own harvest limits went to court to block carefully designed state pilot programs that would have expanded recreational access while improving data collection. If conservation truly requires sacrifice, that responsibility should be shared fairly.”

“The state exempted fishing permits are the result of the states acknowledging that there is a significant problem in the federal data system. They were seeking ways to gather better data and subsequently better manage the recreational fishery. Yet the commercial sector sued to stop the state programs before they could even begin for the 2026 season,” said Ted Venker, conservation director for Coastal Conservation Association. “We appreciate Rep. Scott introducing this legislation as there is certainly a lot of room to introduce the concept of fairness into this fishery.”

“The commercial fishing industry’s lawsuit against the South Atlantic exempted fishing permits resulted in a lost opportunity to collect the data desperately needed to more efficiently and accurately manage the healthy red snapper fishery into the future.” said Chris Horton, Senior Director of Fisheries Policy for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. “This bill would provide the necessary equity among stakeholders to eventually move modernizing South Atlantic red snapper management forward.”

South Atlantic red snapper remains one of the region’s most important recreational reef fish species, supporting anglers, charter businesses, tackle shops, marinas, restaurants, lodging providers and coastal economies throughout Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. The coalition continues to support efforts to modernize South Atlantic red snapper management, improve recreational data collection and provide reasonable public access consistent with conservation.