Norway: NOAA Fisheries drafting plan to end red snapper overfishing in the South Atlantic

NOAA Fisheries has initiated steps to curb red snapper overfishing in the South Atlantic, following years of inaction by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. The agency has introduced temporary rules to limit fishing seasons and catch limits, and is developing a secretarial amendment to propose long-term solutions. This move comes after the council's failure to meet federal regulations for a conservation plan and numerous lawsuits from conservationists. Public comments and input from the council will be accepted before the start of the summer 2025 fishing seasons. Meanwhile, the U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is investing USD 2 million in improving red snapper data collection in the Gulf of Mexico to better understand the impacts of climate change on fish species.

NOAA Fisheries has taken the first steps towards implementing a plan to stop red snapper overfishing in the South Atlantic after years of alleged inaction by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. “NOAA Fisheries firmly believes that we must find ways to end overfishing and improve how the red snapper population in the South Atlantic is managed,” NOAA Fisheries said in a statement. “Currently, there are short commercial and recreational seasons, and low retention limits for red snapper.”The council first received an overfishing notification in July 2021, requiring them to draft a conservation plan to stop it. However, to date the council has been unable to agree on a plan that meets federal regulations.In cases where regional councils are unable to submit a management plan within a reasonable timeframe, NOAA Fisheries is required by law to intervene and propose its own solutions. In June, the agency issued a temporary rule limiting the recreational season to just a single ...