JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Red snapper season was supposed to begin this weekend in Florida, drawing anglers and visitors to Northeast Florida for what many charter captains call one of their busiest stretches of the year. Instead, the recreational season has been put on hold after a federal judge ordered an immediate pause on the permits that allowed the expanded opening.
The ruling came down one day before Florida’s planned opener, leaving charter companies scrambling to cancel or reschedule trips and figure out alternative options for customers already in town.
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John Eggers, captain of Rock n Reel, said he did not learn about the pause until early Friday morning, and then had to start calling customers.
“I didn’t even get the notification till 4 a.m. that morning, and of course, we’re making phone calls, cancellations, losing revenue by the second,” Eggers said.
The season had been part of a longer recreational opening under exempted fishing permits used for South Atlantic states, including Florida. NOAA Fisheries said recreational red snapper fishing under those permits is not authorized while the injunction is in effect.
The pause followed a lawsuit filed by a fishing trade group and others seeking to block the plan to expand recreational access.
For charter captains, the timing is especially difficult. Eggers, who said he has been guiding for about 30 years, called red snapper season a key source of income and a boost after a slower spring.
“This is my 30th year being a guide. This is my only source of income,” Eggers said. “The snapper season really kind of sparked a slower spring for us and generated a lot more revenue.”
Eggers said the financial impact is immediate.
“This year it was over 10 grand in just the snapper fishery, not the inshore, not anything else,” he said. “That’s revenue that we can’t recoup. It’s gone.”
Florida leaders say expanding red snapper access is about more than just fishing. In a news release, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Florida is home to more than 4 million licensed anglers, about 922,000 registered boats, and a $31.3 billion recreational boating industry that supports more than 100,000 jobs statewide.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has criticized the decision to halt the expanded season. Eggers said he believes Florida should have more control over how the fishery is managed, pointing to state data collection efforts.
“The Florida Wildlife Commission here sometimes sends biologists with fishermen out there to see how many snapper are out there versus other species of fish,” Eggers said. “That’s why it should be state-regulated, not federally regulated.”
Captains said the biggest frustration is the lack of notice, especially with trips already booked and visitors already traveling for the opener. They are now waiting to see whether the season will be reinstated and what new guidance will come from NOAA and the state.