Reopening of red snapper season

[danery13]

Has anyone heard if the reopening of red snapper season in federal waters (Gulf of Mexico) has been officially approved. I read the FWC has officially opened it beginning Oct 1-Nov 22 for Fri-Sun each week only. They did this based on the Feds approving it in federal waters but it still wasnt official at that time. Has it been made official yet? Thanks.

[silverking]

www.myfwc.com

[Limitless]

sliverking likes you to have to work for it - not really about helping folks.

The answer is: yes it was passed by the GFMC and approved by the Feds.

[silverking]

LL,
I prefer to direct folks to the official sources rather than hearsay.

I suppose you'll be "helping" folks out by paying their fines when they get tickets for fishing out of season. That's mighty neighborly of you.

[danery13]

Thanks for the replies. However, all I can confirm is that red snapper season has been extended for Gulf of Mexico STATE waters and the feds should confirm the extension sometime in mid September. As far as I can tell, the feds have voted to extend the season but it hasnt been approved yet. Am i missing something? Like you pointed out, as nice as some people are, I'm sure nobody is gonna pay my fine for me. Thanks again.

[ddb]

that's how I read it as well.

[silverking]

This is from the Gulf Council web site www.gulfcouncil.org:

Red Snapper
The Gulf Council agreed to reopen the recreational red snapper season beginning at 12:01 a.m. October 1, 2010, to be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday only, through 12:01 p.m. November 22, allowing for an addition 24 fishing days. The measure will be reviewed and, if approved, implemented by NOAA Fisheries. NOAA Fisheries is currently seeking comment on the proposed emergency action and will accept comments through August 31, 2010.

In June, the Gulf Council requested that NOAA Fisheries Service institute rulemaking to reopen the recreational red snapper season later this year if it was determined that the 2010 quota was not filled before the fishery closed on July 24, 2010. The rationale is that the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and subsequent federal fishing area closure resulted in reduced fishing effort, leaving the recreational red snapper quota unfilled. NOAA Fisheries has determined that approximately 2.3 millions pounds of the 3.4 million pound recreational quota remains.

In other red snapper news, the Council discussed possible regional management of red snapper and asked staff to continue working on a draft discussion paper that explores options for dividing the stock into sub-units.

The Council also discussed an increase in red snapper total allowable catch for 2011-2012. The Council directed staff to proceed with a regulatory amendment, selecting as its preferred alternative setting total allowable catch at 7.185 million pounds for 2011. That would mean commercial and recreational quotas of 3.664 million pounds and 3.521 million pounds, respectively.

[macdaddy]

I signed up for auto e-mail on all the lastest news by the feds, here is the link if anyone maybe interested. Same as the above post, just look around for it.
http://www.gulfcouncil.org/

[fishinfool]

This was copied directly from the FWC website:

STATE OF FLORIDA
FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Order No. EO 10-42 Supplemental Season for Red Snapper in State Waters
of the Gulf of Mexico
The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission of the State of Florida, acting under the authority of Article IV, Section 9, of the Florida Constitution, through its Executive Director under Delegations of Authority Paragraph 17 and Paragraph 22, and due to the reduction in recreational fishing opportunities caused by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster, hereby creates a supplemental recreational season for red snapper in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This supplemental season is consistent with a supplemental season in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service, which estimated that 2.3 million pounds of the 3.4 million pound recreational red snapper quota was not harvested in the 2010 recreational red snapper season.
1. The supplemental recreational red snapper season shall begin at 12:01 A.M. on October 1st and end at 12:01 A.M. on November 22nd, 2010.
2. During the supplemental season, the recreational harvest of red snapper shall be allowed from 12:01 A.M each Friday until 12:01 A.M. the following Monday.
3. All other requirements of 68B-14, F.A.C., remain in effect during the supplemental season.
4. This order shall take effect at 12:01 a.m. on October 1, 2010.
Specific Authority: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution
Law Implemented: Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution
and 120.81(5), Florida Statutes
Effective Date: 12:01 a.m., October 1, 2010
Given under my hand and seal of the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
On this 7th day of September 2010
___________/signed/___________
Nick Wiley, Executive Director
Attest: ________/signed/________
Agency Clerk

You can read it for yourself at the following links:

http://www.myfwc.com/RULESANDREGS/Saltw ... rIndex.htm
http://www.myfwc.com/docs/AboutFWC/Exec ... teGulf.pdf

FF

[Limitless]

LL,
I prefer to direct folks to the official sources rather than hearsay.

I suppose you'll be "helping" folks out by paying their fines when they get tickets for fishing out of season. That's mighty neighborly of you.

Dang son, lighten up! Folks I talked with at NOAA said it's a done deal. So, if Danery13 gets written up for keeping a legal number of legal size ARS during the aforementioned supplemental season, I will indeed pay his fine.

[silverking]

This is the press release dated TODAY:

For Immediate Release Contact: Charlene Ponce
September 21, 2010 813-348-1630

Supplemental Recreational Red Snapper Season to Open October 1, 2010

At the request of the Gulf Council, NOAA Fisheries Service will reopen the recreational red snapper season for eight consecutive weekends (Friday through Sunday), beginning October 1, 2010. The re-opening is effective each weekend from 12:01 a.m. local time, Friday through 12:01 a.m. local time Monday. The fishing season will close for the remainder of 2010 at 12:01 a.m. local time, November 22, 2010.
Anglers are reminded that current fishing regulations apply. Anglers may keep two red snapper per person, per day, that measure a minimum of 16” total length. In addition, anglers must have in possession a venting tool and dehooking device when fishing for Gulf reef fish. The use of non-stainless steel circle hooks is also required for fishermen using natural baits. For-hire captain and crew are not permitted to keep red snapper.
This spring, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council increased the overall red snapper quota from 5.0 million pounds to 6.945 million pounds, yet the 2010 recreational red snapper season was open for only 53 days. This shortened season was due, in part, to an increase in catch rates and the average size of red snapper. This increase, coupled with past effort, led to projections that the quota would be filled sooner than in 2009. But the BP/Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and subsequent federal fishing area closure resulted in reduced effort, leaving the recreational red snapper quota unfilled.
In light of this information, the Gulf Council requested that NOAA Fisheries Service institute rulemaking to reopen the recreational red snapper season later this year to allow the harvest of the remaining red snapper quota.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans designed to manage fishery resources in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
xxx

[silverking]

Dang son, lighten up! Folks I talked with at NOAA said it's a done deal. So, if Danery13 gets written up for keeping a legal number of legal size ARS during the aforementioned supplemental season, I will indeed pay his fine.

I'm an old Navy man. I was taught never to assume anything, especially when it comes to federal fisheries regulations.

[danery13]

Well there you go. It appears to have finally been approved, officially. Thanks for all the replies.