BigBendFishing.Net

A new interim rule would significantly reduce the recreational bag limit for red snapper from 4 to 2. A short summary is below and more details can be viewed online at http://www.woodsnwater.net/florida_fishing_hunting.asp or by going to the NMFS website http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov

In an effort to gauge the opinion of recreational anglers in the Big Bend and beyond, please take a second to vote for or against the proposed new red snapper rules. Results may be used in a January article in Woods 'N Water Magazine.

Red snapper are one of the most popular fish in the Gulf of Mexico and arguably the most controversial fish under U.S. management.
There is more hot debate over scientific data, spawning ratios, bycatch estimates, stock assessments and proposed rebuilding plans than there are recipes to prepare the tasty delicacy.
But it may soon be difficult to justify a trip offshore for recreational fishermen who are seeing their bag limits for grouper and snapper slashed.
The latest proposal that has hook-and-line fishermen seeing red is a proposed interim rule by the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), which could cut the recreational red snapper bag limit from four per person per day to only two and prohibit captains and crews on charter vessels from keeping any snapper.
The proposed interim rule also will:
reduce the red snapper TAC (Total Allowable Catch) from 9.12 to 6.5 million pounds (recreational and commercial combined);
reduce the commercial minimum size limit from 15 to 13 inches; and
establish a target reduction goal for the shrimp fishery, which is defined as 50 percent of the bycatch mortality that occurred during 2001-2003 (equivalent to capping effort in the shrimp fishery at the 2005 level).
Public comments were accepted until Nov. 27 and will be used in finalizing an interim rule for the 2007 fishing year. Comments will also be provided to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council for consideration in developing long-term measures to address overfishing and bycatch in the directed red snapper and shrimp fisheries.

This is a proposal to cut recreational limits by 50% I can't believew recreational fishermen are harvesting 50% of the snapper each year. I would have to think the commercial harvest is much more than 50%. I don't have a true idea of what the ratio between commercial and recreational is, but for the sake of conversation, lets say it's 75%/25%. Cut the recreational limit by 25% and the commercial limit by 75%. I'm tired of paying the price for commercial fishermen.

I am with TC! If they keep "Managing" the small guys fishing regulations they will "manage" us right off the water. I guess the old saying holds true: money talks......................you know the rest.

How much is fishing tourism worth to the state? Do these rules apply to guides and their customers also? What about boat and tackle sales in Florida? If you added these together would it equal the money commercial fishing brings to FL? I'm all for protecting our fisheries but we all know recreational fishing is not what is driving the stocks down. Put tighter restrictions on commercial fishermen and let them get a higher price for what they sell, the market will allow them to get a higher price if less fish are availlable.

AJ wrote:How much is fishing tourism worth to the state? Do these rules apply to guides and their customers also? What about boat and tackle sales in Florida? If you added these together would it equal the money commercial fishing brings to FL? I'm all for protecting our fisheries but we all know recreational fishing is not what is driving the stocks down. Put tighter restrictions on commercial fishermen and let them get a higher price for what they sell, the market will allow them to get a higher price if less fish are availlable.

It has been estimated that fishing/boating second only to citrus in economic impact to the state (roughly 5 billion per year). Until we get boat and tackle manufacturers and hotel and restaurant chains to lobby on our side, we will never defeat the coms at their game.

Where is CCA on this. I only contribute $25 a year to CCA,but this is what I feel I am paying to fight.
In my lifetime I have seen limits go from unlimited to 1,2,3,4,5,on most species. Unlimited was unreasonable. 1,2,3,4,5, is very reasonable. I say leave the limits alone long enough to get a honest evaluation on the fish stocks. By and large Mother Nature will provide.
They tried to change the Red Grouper limits because so many red grouper were being reported caught. Duh. There were more red grouper to be caught. It got to where you couldn't drop a line offshore without catching one.
Inshore species are equally resilient. They wouldn't be back in the rivers like they are this year if they were threatened.
Too much goverment has destroyed too many nations.

Jumptrout51 wrote:Where is CCA on this.

Amen brother from what I hear on the redfish workshops, they were scarce to no existent at the meetings....I got a membership renewal on the desk, I'm thinking why renew.

CCA NEWS
Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 28, 2006
CONTACT: Ted Venker 1-800-201-3474
E-mail: tvenker@joincca.org

Red Snapper Conservation Stalled

HOUSTON, TX - Coastal Conservation Association today expressed its profound disappointment in the continuing reluctance of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to address shrimp trawl bycatch as the primary cause for the decline of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico.

That reluctance culminated at the most recent meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council with the Council electing to delay any action plan for the recovery of red snapper until January 2007. NMFS' refusal to support the inclusion of measures to reduce shrimp trawl bycatch as a part of a proposed red snapper recovery plan left the Council with no choice but to postpone any action.

"It is virtually impossible for the Council to set red snapper limits for recreational anglers when they don't know what the shrimp trawl bycatch reduction for juvenile red snapper is," said Fred Miller, chairman of CCA's National Government Relations Committee. "You have to deal with both sides of the equation at the same time."

Red snapper populations remain at a mere fraction of their natural levels as a result of shrimp trawl bycatch, which kills more than 80 percent of every year class of Gulf red snapper. That bycatch is the target of a lawsuit filed by Coastal Conservation Association against NMFS last year seeking to force significant regulations to recover red snapper stocks. For much of the troubled history of red snapper, the shrimp industry has avoided significant regulation relative to its impact on this important commercial and recreational fishery.

"Since this fishery was first identified as severely overfished in 1988, recreational red snapper anglers have seen their seasons shortened and bag limits tightened while the shrimp industry has largely been allowed to dodge their responsibility for this mess," said Miller. "Enough is enough."

CCA last year petitioned the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to put emergency measures into effect to end the excessive bycatch of red snapper by the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fleet. That petition was denied despite almost 8,000 supporting comments from CCA members and other conservationists around the Gulf Coast.

The current lawsuit filed by CCA seeks to achieve significant shrimp trawl bycatch reduction on the order of 60-80 percent through measures such as bycatch quotas, closed areas, seasonal closures and meaningful reduction in shrimping effort.

"NMFS' own studies show that shrimp trawl bycatch is far and away the single largest source of mortality for juvenile red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico and until that is properly addressed, this species will continue to be at risk," said David Cummins, CCA president.

Gulf Fishery News bulletin now out. Public comment will be accepted on the proposed red snapper interim rule until 5 p.m. EDT on Jan. 26, 2005.
The Gulf Council will hold discussion on the red snapper fishery (and associated shrimp fishery) at their Jan. 22-26 meeting in Point Clear, Alabama. For a complete agenda, go online to: http://www.gulfcouncil.org.