Court order blocks Florida's Atlantic red snapper season before it starts

TAMPA, Fla. (WINK) — A 40-day red snapper season was supposed to start May 22 on Florida's Atlantic coast, but a court order shut it down the night before it opened.

Federal managers say when fishermen catch and release red snapper out of season, some die. Those deaths still count against the quota, so even if no one keeps the fish, the numbers are still stacking up on paper.

That's where the loop starts, and seasons get cut. It's a cycle that captains say repeats over and over.

Capt. Dylan Hubbard, who owns Hubbard's Marina at John's Pass, said federal managers are working off stock data that can be years behind what's actually happening out there. Meanwhile, states tried to step in with their own data, pushing a shorter 40-day season.

Then the courts stepped in. An injunction was filed, and the season stopped just like that.

Now it's stuck in legal limbo.

"We're just really unfortunately dealing with the lag between science and management," Hubbard said.

"On the water, we're like these fish are everywhere, and the science might take four, five, six years to catch up and say, hey, those fishermen were right, the fish are everywhere, let them have more quota," Hubbard said.

"The courts now have the ball, and unfortunately, there's not much advocacy groups can do, or folks can do, because right now you just have to let the court system work itself out," Hubbard said.

Hubbard said if the court case gets resolved, the Atlantic could still see a late-season opening this year. For now, on the Gulf, private recreational anglers can catch red snapper until July 31, and federally permitted charter boats through Oct. 26.