05/22/2026
We support FL State Representative Paula Stark’s opposition to this last minute change.
Statement from Florida Representative Paula Stark:
Florida Fishermen Deserve Better: Red Snapper Season Sabotaged by D.C. Lawsuit
It is deeply unfair and unacceptable that Florida anglers were blindsided just one day before the long-awaited 2026 Atlantic red snapper season was set to begin. Families had planned trips, charter captains had booked customers, and small businesses across our coastal communities had prepared for this extended opportunity — only for a federal court in Washington, D.C., to pull the rug out from under them at the last possible moment.
This last-minute injunction, stemming from a lawsuit by out-of-state interests, disregards the hard work of Governor DeSantis, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and NOAA Fisheries to give Florida more control over our own fishery management through the Exempted Fishing Permit program. Floridians know our waters best, and we’ve fought for years for more reasonable access to this important recreational resource.
Our hardworking fishermen, their families, and the entire coastal economy should not be punished by bureaucratic delays and activist lawsuits originating far from our shores. This decision harms small businesses, disrupts family traditions, and shows a troubling disregard for the people who actually live, work, and fish in Florida.
I stand with our anglers and urge the courts and federal agencies to resolve this quickly so that Floridians can get back on the water. Our state will continue fighting for common-sense management that puts Florida fishermen first.
Rep. Paula Stark
Florida House District 47
