H.R. 9933: South Atlantic Red Snapper Fair Access Act of 2026

This bill would make it illegal to commercially catch, sell, buy, trade, or offer South Atlantic red snapper from federal waters during certain periods when recreational fishing for that fish is closed. Those periods are called “covered periods” in the bill, and they are defined as times when recreational harvest of South Atlantic red snapper in federal waters is prohibited.

In plain terms, the bill would:

• Ban commercial harvest of South Atlantic red snapper in federal waters during recreational closed seasons.
• Ban commercial transactions involving that fish if it was harvested from federal waters during those closed seasons.
• Require the Secretary of Commerce, through NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, to enforce the ban.
• Direct the agency to write implementing regulations within 90 days after enactment.

The bill’s stated purpose is to make access to the fishery more balanced between recreational and commercial users. Its findings say that recreational seasons for South Atlantic red snapper have often been very short, while commercial seasons have remained open longer. The bill also notes that state-led pilot programs intended to improve recreational access and data collection were stopped by a court injunction.

The measure would not permanently ban commercial red snapper fishing. Instead, it would tie the commercial restriction to the periods when recreational fishing is closed. If recreational fishing is open, this bill would not by itself prohibit commercial activity under the new rule.

Relevant Companies

• None found