COLUMBIA, SC  — The South Carolina Boating & Fishing Alliance (SCBFA) and Coastal Conservation South Carolina joined national sportfishing organizations in welcoming a major step forward for red snapper reform as the Attorneys General of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida submitted a joint letter calling on the federal government to transfer management of South Atlantic red snapper to the states.

Addressed to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the letter was signed by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. It urges the administration to follow sound science, initiate a unbiased peer-reviewed evaluation of the upcoming Great Red Snapper Count (GRSC), and begin the transition toward a state-led management framework. This approach has already delivered better conservation outcomes and more access in the Gulf of America.

“From statehouse members to governors to bipartisan congressmen to attorneys general, the South Atlantic is speaking with one voice,” said Gettys Brannon, CEO of the South Carolina Boating & Fishing Alliance. “We are grateful to Attorney General Wilson for leading this effort. His action adds real momentum to the growing push for state management, which offers the best hope for longer seasons, better data, and fairer access to this incredible fishery.”

The Attorneys General called for three specific actions:

1.    Gold Standard Peer Review of the Red Snapper Count – Ensure the forthcoming Great Red Snapper Count is reviewed under President Trump’s executive order on Restoring Gold Standard Science to provide a credible, independent basis for future management.

2.    Transfer Data Collection to the States – Recognize that the South Atlantic states are already leading much of the data work and should be fully empowered and resourced to conduct modern, timely harvest monitoring.

3.    Begin the Shift to State Management – Use tools such as Exempted Fishing Permits and Emergency Regulations to quickly transfer decision-making to the states, without waiting for a years-long federal process.

This announcement comes amid growing bipartisan momentum for red snapper reform. In recent months, governors and congressional delegations from South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida have urged the U.S. Department of Commerce to move away from the current broken system. The newly formed House South Atlantic Red Snapper Task Force, co-chaired by Rep. John Rutherford (Fla.), Rep. Russell Fry (S.C.), Rep. Buddy Carter (Ga.), and Rep. David Rouzer (N.C.), is working to build congressional support for a new vision.

Last month, fisheries directors from South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina submitted a joint Action Plan to the Task Force outlining a path toward state-based management. The plan acknowledged that outdated federal data and a one-size-fits-all model have led to overly restrictive and unpredictable red snapper seasons, despite stock assessments showing a population larger than at any time in recorded history. The states committed to creating more responsive, science-driven systems that better balance conservation with angler access.

“It is not often you see this level of unity behind any issue, and I believe it speaks to the level of confidence that we have in the ability of our state wildlife managers to handle this task,” said Scott Whitaker, executive director of Coastal Conservation Association South Carolina. “Federal fisheries management has failed the public, and we are grateful that our elected officials – from our governor to our Congressional delegation to our attorney general – are united in recognizing that the states are the best managers of their own natural resources.”

Sportfishing groups from across the country voiced strong support for the Attorneys General and the pathway laid out in the letter, including the Center for Sportfishing Policy (CSP).

“When Attorneys General weigh in, it shows just how deeply this issue matters to their states,” said CSP President Jeff Angers. “This letter is not just about red snapper. It’s about restoring balance between Washington and the states. The South Atlantic governors, congressional delegation, and now the AGs are all saying the same thing: the states are ready to lead. And when they do, anglers, conservation, and coastal economies win.”