Rutherford Statement on NOAA’s Amendment 59

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, U.S. Congressman John H. Rutherford (FL-05) released the following statement on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Amendment 59:

“The release of Amendment 59 by NOAA, without the proposed three-month bottom fishing closure, is a major victory for Florida, especially for our more than 4 million anglers, coastal communities, and families whose livelihoods depend on reliable access to these waters and fisheries.

“This outcome proves what anglers have been saying all along, the proposed bottom closure was a politically motivated attempt by the Biden Administration to shut down access to our fisheries and not rooted in actual data. 

“Thank you to President Trump and Secretary Lutnick for listening to the concerns of anglers across the South Atlantic and pushing for accurate data. The final rule reflects what anglers are seeing and catching, which is more red snapper than ever before.

“I am proud to have introduced the Red Snapper Act in the House and secured funding for the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count to ensure we’re using independent, peer-reviewed data in future management decisions. Today is a huge step in the right direction and I look forward to working with the Trump Administration to ensure recreational anglers voices are heard in Washington, D.C.”

Read more about NOAA’s announcement here.