05/25/2026
We want to be very clear that we do not agree with how recreational fishing is treated. We also wish more people were educated on the commercial side of the industry.
Who is to blame for the red snapper recreational season lawsuit and court ordered cancellation?
At first glance you would probably say commercial fishermen and there is some truth to that. But it is not the blue collar fisherman running a boat trying to make a living. It is the boardroom, paper pushing version of commercial fishing. The quota holders and investors who never even wet a line.
Captain Robert “Bob” Zales II and the Southeastern Fisheries Association helped bring the lawsuit, but most people still do not understand how the Gulf red snapper IFQ quota system works.
Years ago, the federal government handed out commercial red snapper quota shares based on historical landings. Over time, much of that quota became concentrated into the hands of a relatively small number of people and investment groups. Many are no longer active fishermen at all. They simply own the rights to the fish.
Today, working commercial fishermen often have to lease quota from investors just to legally land red snapper. In some cases they are paying nearly the value of the fish back to the quota owner before expenses are even considered.
Recreational fishermen are getting screwed by the system, but many commercial fishermen are too.
One Florida commercial fisherman messaged me directly after the lawsuit story broke:
“I get paid $8 per pound for red snapper and it costs me $7 per pound to the investor/quota owner.”
He said after fuel, inspections, and expenses, he has lost money commercial fishing the last two years and is preparing to sell his boats.
That should tell you who this system is really benefiting.
Aaron B. Futrell, Author|Owner, Delong Lures
