Bill · S. 111· Senate(119-S-111)
Red Snapper Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 1/16/2025
- Last activity
- 1/16/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Sponsored by
- Rick Scott
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Red Snapper Act of 2025" limits the authority of the Secretary of Commerce regarding certain fishing restrictions. It prevents the issuance of interim or final rules or Secretarial Amendments that include area or bottom closures in the South Atlantic for species managed under the Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan. This restriction remains in place until the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count study is finished. Additionally, the data from that study must be integrated into the next relevant stock assessment.
Yes· 3 of 5
Would business owners be better off under this?+3
The bill supports the economic interests of commercial and recreational fishing businesses by delaying regulatory closures.
Is this likely to create jobs?+3
The bill protects the economic output and jobs associated with the South Atlantic recreational fishing industry by preventing area closures.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+2
The bill supports the fishing-dependent economies often found in rural coastal communities.
The opposite
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?-4
The bill limits the ability to implement area closures that could reduce red snapper mortality and out-of-season encounters.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Economic Protection for Fishing Communities: The bill notes that fishing is a major economic driver in the South Atlantic, specifically mentioning that recreational anglers in Florida provide $14,000,000,000 in economic output and support 119,000 jobs (Section 2(a)(1)). By delaying area closures, the bill seeks to address economic concerns held by the State of Florida regarding the snapper-grouper recreational fishery (Section 2(a)(8)).
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Data-Driven Management: The bill requires that the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count study be completed and its data integrated into the first subsequent Southeast Data, Assessment and Review stock assessment (Section 2(b)). This ensures that fishery management decisions are informed by the $8,700,000 invested in independent survey data (Section 2(a)(9)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Risk of Increased Red Snapper Mortality: The text notes that record high abundance has led to increased out-of-season encounters and discards, which is driving red snapper mortality (Section 2(a)(5)). Because the bill prevents the use of area closures that could reduce these mortalities until a specific study is integrated into stock assessments, there may be a period where these mortalities continue (Section 2(a)(7)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+3Good For Rural Residents+2
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+3Improves Small Business Support+2
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections-4
- Governance And Ideology
- Increase States Rights+2
- 1/16/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.