ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (AP) 鈥� Miles from shore, Chris Kemp pumps and reels as he battles a fish 150 feet below. Eventually, it gives up, and the 10-pound red snapper is hauled aboard the Jodie Lynn II.
There鈥檚 barely time to rejoice. As Kemp raises his trophy for a picture, the charter boat鈥檚 captain rushes over and then drives a knifelike tool into the fish鈥檚 gas-filled bladder. The procedure, required by federal law, is intended to improve the fish鈥檚 chances of survival after release.
鈥淪end it overboard,鈥� orders the captain. And with that, Kemp’s hopes of bringing the fish home to eat was lost.
Recreational fishermen like Kemp are pitched against commercial fishermen and environmentalists in a legal dispute that has halted what was expected to be the longest snapper season in years, reflecting broader tensions over the Trump administration’s efforts to loosen fishing rules and deregulate the seas.
As part of those efforts, the in May exempted states from some restrictions under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the landmark law that guides fisheries management. But the decision was halted at the last minute by a federal judge in Washington who blocked the plan.
The Atlantic red snapper is known for both its fighting ability and popularity at the dinner table. After decades of overfishing, regulators in 2010 restricted recreational fishing to only a handful of days each year 鈥� when not banned altogether.
Starting last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis led a charge with officials in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina to take over management of the recreational Atlantic snapper fishery, casting the effort as guaranteeing anglers鈥� 鈥淕od-given right to fish.鈥�
In May, NOAA issued special permits exempting the states from some legal requirements to protect fish. Instead of imposing wholesale fishing bans on bottom fishing each winter, as NOAA had proposed last year, the agency set up an Atlantic snapper season in four states ranging from 39 to 62 days, allowing anglers to keep one fish per day.
鈥淲e were excited,鈥� said Kemp, who booked a charter to coincide with the season鈥檚 opening day.
Court battle pits recreational anglers against commercial fishermen
The conflict landed in court just before the season was about to begin May 22, and U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras issued an injunction based in part on environmental concerns. He relied on estimates from the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy suggesting recreational catches could reach up to 485,000 in Florida alone during the expanded season 鈥� 20 times the number of landed catch allowed.
Kemp learned about the judge’s order from a text message sent by a friend while driving to the marina.
鈥淥riginally we thought it was a joke, given the severity,鈥� said Kemp.
The ruling sparked immediate backlash. Florida wildlife officials denounced the decision as the work of a 鈥渞ogue federal judge,鈥� while some fishermen involved in the lawsuit reported receiving threats after DeSantis falsely accused them of trying to commandeer the quota all for themselves.
One of the plaintiffs, North Carolina fisherman Jeff Oden, said commercial fishermen are struggling to survive amid rising costs and competition from imported seafood. He worries that expanded recreational harvests could leave too few snapper available when the commercial season begins later this year.
鈥淲e鈥檙e vanishing,鈥� Oden said. 鈥淵ou as a consumer, you鈥檙e the loser.鈥�
Stock is rebounding but scientists urge caution
The dispute stems in part from disagreements over the health of the fishery. NOAA estimates that roughly one-quarter of released red snapper die, despite techniques designed to improve their survival like puncturing the bladder to reduce gases that build up in their bladder when pulled up, hindering them from returning to the ocean鈥檚 depths where they live.
Yet many fishermen argue the stock is thriving. Kemp鈥檚 group hooked about a dozen fish within 40 minutes of arriving to a reef off Florida鈥檚 coast.
鈥淭o be completely honest, we have never seen an unhealthy stock,鈥� said Haley Stephens, who with her husband operates the Sea Spirit, a charter boat in Ponce Inlet, Florida.
Scientists counter that the abundance of younger fish is misleading and point to biological sampling that indicates most fish being caught haven鈥檛 reached the peak of their reproductive maturity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 tricky because this is a rebuilding fish stock,鈥� said Meredith Moore, a program director at Ocean Conservancy. 鈥淪o people out in the water are seeing more of the fish than they have seen in a long time, and so that gives them the sense that everything is great.鈥�
NOAA declined to comment on the snapper dispute, citing ongoing litigation. However, it said that it is working with fisheries managers across the country 鈥渢o better prioritize work around existing resources, explore efficiencies, and streamline operations鈥� in accordance with the 鈥淩estoring American Seafood Competitiveness鈥� by President Donald Trump.
The judge, in his ruling, faulted Florida and the other states for declining to provide their own harvest projections. Officials, however, argued that existing federal estimates were unreliable and would eventually be replaced with improved state-collected data.
Oden said he understands the frustrations of recreational anglers but believes everyone must share the burden of conservation.
鈥淭here鈥檚 only so many fish to go around,鈥� he said.
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Wieffering reported from Washington. Serginho Roosblad contributed from Washington.
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