Gulf council seeks input from fishermen for coral reef protections
Fishermen will be able to provide input for coral protection areas in the at a workshop Monday hosted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. The meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott, 142 Library Drive, Houma. The council’s scientists recommended protecting 47 areas in the Gulf, but with the help of the Coral Advisory Panel and Shrimp Advisory Panel, the number has been narrowed to 15 priority areas. The meeting is to get feedback from fishermen who use bottom-contacting gear in federal waters in the Gulf before the council begins its public scoping process. Another meeting is to be held in Alabama. “Most of the areas, no one fishes in, but there is one area off the boot of Louisiana and several off Texas and Florida where there is some fishing activity. They want to get feedback from fishermen to see how much impact it would have to fisheries,” said Julie Falgout, seafood industry liaison with Louisiana SeaGrant. Read the rest here 11:08
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