Federal bureaucrats have been strangling American fishermen for decades with insane regulations.
Ron DeSantis just proved they're completely useless.
And Ron DeSantis left federal bureaucrats seething with one move that put them out of business.
Florida asks feds to hand over control of Atlantic red snapper
Governor Ron DeSantis dropped a bombshell announcement Monday that sent shockwaves through the federal fisheries bureaucracy.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission formally submitted an Exempted Fishing Permit to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick requesting state management of Atlantic red snapper.
And Ron DeSantis just exposed the federal government's dirty secret about who really knows how to manage America's fisheries.
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1987918228513816978?s=20
Federal mismanagement created an absurd two-day fishing season
Federal bureaucrats at NOAA have been running Atlantic red snapper management into the ground for years using what charter captains call "fatally flawed" data.
The numbers tell an ugly story that should make every taxpayer furious.
Atlantic red snapper seasons under federal control: two days in 2022, two days in 2023, one day in 2024, and two days projected for 2025.¹
That's not fisheries management – that's regulatory strangulation of an entire industry.
Captain Robert Johnson, a Northeast Florida charter operator, didn't mince words about the federal system's failures.
"It relies on estimates of estimates of estimates," Johnson stated. "And, you know, that's not science. Estimates are not science."²
The absurdity reached peak levels when NOAA scheduled the 2024 one-day season during a small craft advisory with 6-10 foot seas off the Carolina coast – meaning fishermen in those areas couldn't even fish their one day.
Meanwhile, charter captains watching red snapper populations firsthand see something completely different than federal bureaucrats sitting in Washington offices.
Captain Dennis Young, who has operated charters for over 50 years, described what he sees on the water versus what feds claim.
"When you can go out and anchor down on the boat and have 20 red snapper come up and bite your hooks at the boat, something's going on," Young said.³
Federal scientists insist red snapper are overfished while fishermen watch them swarm their boats.
That disconnect reveals everything wrong with Washington's approach to managing anything.
DeSantis proved state management works with Gulf red snapper explosion
Florida already blew up the federal government's excuses by taking over Gulf red snapper management.
The results aren't just good – they're historically unprecedented.
Gulf red snapper seasons under state management: expanded from 3 days to 127 days in 2024, the longest combined season in Florida management history.⁴
DeSantis contrasted the success story on one coast with the federal disaster on the other during his Fernandina Beach announcement.
"Two days for recreational Atlantic red snapper in 2022? Two days in 2023? Really? One day in 2024?" DeSantis said. "This is not acceptable."⁵
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1987896746253639965?s=20
The proposed 39-day Atlantic season mirrors Florida's successful Gulf management structure with summer and fall components.
Summer season would run Memorial Day weekend through June 20, with fall weekends throughout October.⁶
That's a 1,850% increase over the current federal joke of a season.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Roger Young emphasized the state's proven track record using better data collection methods.
"Our State Reef Fish Survey is the gold standard for tracking red snapper harvest in the Gulf, delivering faster, sharper, and more reliable data compared to the federal program," Young stated.⁷
Translation: Florida scientists actually know what they're doing while federal bureaucrats push paper and protect their budgets.
Trump administration signals end to federal fisheries stranglehold
DeSantis made clear he's already secured buy-in from the people who matter in the Trump administration.
"I've spoken both with President Trump as well as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and the encouraging thing is they're receptive to this and they support us being able to move ahead with what we're doing," DeSantis said.⁸
That's the key detail federal bureaucrats are panicking about behind closed doors.
Howard Lutnick's Commerce Department oversees NOAA – and he's on record supporting deregulation of America's fishing industry.
The Trump administration already issued executive orders in April 2025 directing Lutnick to reduce regulatory burdens on heavily overregulated fisheries and review marine monuments for potential commercial fishing access.⁹
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1987883084256006448?s=20
This isn't just about red snapper in Florida.
It's about proving federal management is a failed model that should be dismantled and handed to states across the board.
The governors of Georgia and South Carolina joined DeSantis in a joint letter to Lutnick earlier this year demanding the same transition to state control.
The governors didn't mince words about federal failures in their joint letter.
"Unfortunately, decades of inaction by career bureaucrats within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), combined with actions in the waning hours of the Biden Administration to cut-off public access to the fishery, have hampered access for our recreational angling communities," the letter stated.¹⁰
That's three state chief executives telling Washington the same thing: your bureaucrats are incompetent and we can do better.
https://twitter.com/FLVoiceNews/status/1987905620469534843?s=20
Economic impact shows what's really at stake
DeSantis emphasized the massive economic engine federal bureaucrats have been suffocating with idiotic regulations.
Florida's fishing and boating industry generates $31.3 billion annually – a 56% increase since 2018.¹¹
The state has more than 922,000 boat registrations and 4 million licensed anglers, ranking first nationally in both categories.¹²
Captain Young described the economic devastation federal short seasons inflict on coastal communities.
"Once they shut it down, it's like the world stopped financially for the county," Young explained. "Nobody wanted to go fishing […] Boat services, outboard motor sales, fuel sales, hotel rentals, the whole thing just added up over time."¹³
That's not just about fish – it's about families, small businesses, and entire communities being crushed by federal incompetence.
DeSantis concluded by stressing this fight goes beyond economics to something more fundamental.
"This has been a long time coming," he said. "We're proud of this, but we're not satisfied with this."¹⁴
https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis/status/1987918982133993863?s=20
The message is clear: Florida proved state management works, federal bureaucrats failed for decades, and the Trump administration is ready to let states take control.
Every federal bureaucrat who built a career on restricting fishermen's access with junk science should be worried about their jobs.
Because Ron DeSantis just showed America they're completely unnecessary.
¹ Michelle Vecerina, "DeSantis submits proposal for 39-day Atlantic red snapper season," Florida Voice News, November 10, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ Coty Hamlin, "Florida Gov. DeSantis Pushes For State Control Of Atlantic Red Snapper," Florida Voice News, November 10, 2025.
⁶ Ibid.
⁷ Vecerina, "DeSantis submits proposal."
⁸ Gabrielle Russon, "Florida files permit to control red snapper fishing season in the Atlantic," Florida Politics, November 10, 2025.
⁹ "Trump is loosening red tape to help America's $20 billion seafood trade deficit," Fortune, April 19, 2025.
¹⁰ "Atlantic States Wrangle to Control Red Snapper," Sport Fishing Magazine, August 18, 2025.
¹¹ Vecerina, "DeSantis submits proposal."
¹² Ibid.
¹³ Ibid.
¹⁴ Ibid.
