Tag Archives: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
Red Snapper: management of a public resource gone completely haywire. And we’re paying to have this done to us.
It’s important to note here that the total allowable take isn’t based solely on the feds’ vague guesswork on the number of landings. No, they add in what they believe to be the discard mortality rates — that of fish released and dying sometime later, predominately because of barotrauma. That occurs to differing extents when fish are brought up from depths and their air bladders expand too quickly — and don’t return to normal quickly enough when released. The federal scientists use a number to determine how often this happens. In the case of snapper, they speculate that 40 percent of all released fish die in the recreational sector and 60 percent in the commercial sector. Read the rest here 09:33
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting in Key West, June 8 thru 12, 2015 Listen Live!
The public is invited to attend the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting at the Marriot Beachside in Key West. Read the Committee and Council Agenda, Click here Read the briefing material, Click here, Joint Gulf/South Atlantic Council Meeting Agenda Register here to listen live Kick off, 08:30 21:37
Red snapper season dates finalized
Last week NOAA Fisheries published a rule implementing an increase to the commercial and recreational quotas for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico through 2017. For 2015, the red snapper allowable catch is increasing from 11.0 million pounds whole weight to 14.3 million pounds. The commercial and recreational sector quotas will be based on the current 51 percent commercial and 49 percent recreational allocation. The commercial quota will increase to 7.29 million pounds the recreational quota will increase to 7.01 million pounds. Read the rest here 09:32
Public meeting on commercial red snapper catch share program Wednesday 6 PM
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a scoping workshop in Panama City Wednesday night to discuss and collect comment on potential changes to the red snapper commercial individual fishing quota (IFQ) program, also known as a catch share program. Read the rest here 10:24
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s spiny lobster review panel, Monday, Feb 9, 0:900
Open to the public in Key West, Florida, and accessible via webinar. Click here for information, and here to access webinar. 19:50
Macaluso: Recreational anglers demonized by Commercial Fishermen in GMFMC hearing
After listening to the testimony during Wednesday afternoon’s Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s public comment period, it’s clear, when it comes to red snapper, commercial fishing interests are determined to demonize recreational fishermen. Commercial fishermen talk about how a certain fishing segment “steals” fish from them, and there’s no veiling their comments that the “segment” refers to recreational fishermen. Read the rest here 07:49
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Meeting January 26 – 29, 2015, Point Clear, AL
Agenda and Summary Documents, Commitees Agenda can be found here Register for the meeting webinar here, and listen live. 15:55
Macaluso: Will new Congress take stance?
Unless and until Congress changes the Magnuson-Stevens Fish Conservation and Management Act, the federal mandate with a long name, Gulf of Mexico recreational fishermen will continue to have their pockets picked. That’s because when it comes to the management tactics and schemes, recreational fishermen have suffered far more than the commercial side. Read the rest here 09:56
Fishermen want larger limit for mackerel – Council wants Catch Shares as a condition
In order to get the increase in trip limits, the fishermen may have to go along with a fishery management practice they have long opposed — catch shares. The Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association has staunchly opposed catch shares, arguing they are running smaller mom-and-pop fishermen out of business and giving greater allocations to large commercial fleets. They also create a market for people selling their allocations to the highest bidder. Read the rest here 09:03
Gulf Council votes 10-7 in favor of Amendment 40 – 75 percent of gulf red snapper fishery would go to private businesses forever
Thursday’s 10-7 vote by the Gulf Council favors a document referred to as Amendment 40, which would create rules for anglers fishing from charter boats that would be separate and different from rules that regulate anglers fishing from private boats for snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. Read the rest here 20:29
Charter Captains on Red Snapper Regulation
The has been hearing from the public today regarding management issues for red snapper. . The public hearing was held at the Battle House Hotel. Right now, charter companies are held under the same rules and regulations as private recreational fisherman. Video, Read more here 08:04
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Meeting October 20 – 24, 2014 in Mobile, Alabama
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Meeting, Biloxi, MS. , August 25 – 28, 2014
View Council Agenda Gulf fishing authority says red-snapper fix is easy, as Recs turn on each other, Charters want a Piece of the Rock!
Dr. Bob Shipp is THE authority on Gulf of Mexico red snapper. He recently retired after serving the last 20 years as chairman of the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of South Alabama, and he also served two nine-year stints on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, the board responsible for making recommendations to NOAA Fisheries NMFS about how federal Gulf fisheries are to be managed. Read more here 11:03
CCA takes stand against Gulf red snapper Reef Fish Amendment 40
If Amendment 40 passes, 75 percent of the entire Gulf red snapper fishery will likely be privately held for private profit. Sector Separation proposes to separate charter/for-hire businesses from the recreational sector and give personalized allotments of red snapper to use as their own. <Read more here> 15:43
Reef Fish Amendment 40 – Sector Separation Public Meetings, Public Hearings,& Scoping Workshops, Aug 4 -19, 2014
All public hearings begin at 6:00 p.m. local time and end no later than 9:00 p.m. Times Locations and Dates. A Note on Scoping: Scoping is the process of identifying issues, potential impacts, and reasonable alternatives associated with the issue at hand. It provides the first and best opportunity for the public to make suggestions or to raise issues and concerns before the Council begins developing an amendment. Read more here 11:11
Red Snapper Reallocation Suspended in Favor of Recreational Management Solutions
Key West, Florida – Citing the need for management changes in the recreational fishery and overwhelming opposition to reallocation by Gulf residents, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council voted Thursday to defer action on Amendment 28, a proposal that would take a portion of the red snapper fishery from Gulf seafood providers for the exclusive use of recreational fishing. Read more here 07:27
Gulf Council reaffirms red snapper reallocation to recreational anglers while holding sector accountable
The committee reaffirmed its support of reallocating a greater share of the combined quota to the recreational sector above a set benchmark as part of the process toward final passage of the management plan changes to Amendment 28 – Red Snapper Allocation. Read more here 12:22
Venker: Catch-share fishery programs don’t pass the smell test
Catch-share programs have been promoted as a panacea to many fishery management challenges, but close scrutiny of these programs shows they create far more problems than they solve. Putting ownership of a wildlife resource into the hands of a private business for its own profit is a dramatic departure from the way this country has traditionally managed wildlife resources. U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., is right to question if this is a path the country should take. Read more here 06:32
Mixon: Congress shouldn’t try to block new individual fishing quota approach
Here in the Gulf, recreational fishing is a way of life. 
like me make a living helping millions of tourists and sportsmen enjoy a day or weekend of fishing. But years of failed recreational management have bled us dry, damaging the coastal economy, threatening the survival of our businesses and limiting the access of recreational anglers who don’t own their own boats. It’s long past time for the rules,,, Read more here 19:22
Gulf Reef Fish Data Reporting Proposed
In Florida state waters, a proposed rule from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission would give more definition to the numbers of reef species. The proposal, designed to provide more accurate catch and effort data for reef fishing, would require private recreational anglers to take part in the Gulf Reef Fish Data Reporting System. theledger.com Read more here 15:44
Pols Reeling Over Shortened Red Snapper Season
In the midst of the pressure cooker of a U.S. Senate race, it’s rare that political rivals agree on anything. But in Louisiana, red snapper fishing is having a rare unifying power for U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu and U.S. Rep Bill Cassidy. Over the last two days, the opponents in the fall election have spoken out against the great injustice that looms with the potential of the shortest red snapper fishing season ever recorded in the Bayou State. Read more here 09:45
Red Snapper Season in Jeopardy
Local fisherman are worried there may not be a snapper season this year or next. The concerns come after a federal court ruled the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the authorities to close off federal waters. Read more here 11:48
“We really don’t know if the stock is rebuilt,” Roy Crabtree of the National Marine Fisheries Service – Goliath grouper could be placed back on the hook
The possible future of South Florida fishing rules, including the latest information on Goliath grouper populations, goes before combined panels of federal and state fishery experts convening Jan. 7-9 in Key Largo. “This is really interesting stuff,” said Robert Mahood, executive director of the federal South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Read [email protected]” 01:15
Webinar: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council SSC discussing the economics of red snapper allocation today
Socioeconomic Scientific and Statistical Committee Friday, November 8, 2013 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST Sign in here 09:00
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council October 2013 Update
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met in New Orleans, Louisiana, October 28 – 31, 2013, to discuss a number of fishery issues. Here are some of the actions taken by the Council last week. more@guidrynews 09:46
Senator Vitter Draws NOAA Line for Red Snapper Allocation
Senator David Vitter (R-La.) announced yesterday that he would “hold” the nominee to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) until he received a commitment that NOAA Fisheries would address the ongoing failure of the Agency to implement its own allocation policies and to provide some leadership and direction to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. [email protected]
Share the Gulf Coalition to promote fair access to the red snapper fishery.
The issue in front of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, the federal body charged with regulating red snapper, is what helped catalyze the group’s formation, supporters said. Currently, the council tries to control overfishing by dividing a calculated amount of red snapper almost evenly between commercial and recreational fishermen so each sector gets about half of the overall quota. more@dailycomet 14:43
NMFS to open 2-week October recreational red snapper season, commercial boat owners will get their new individual fishing quotas
National Marine Fisheries Service increase yearly yellowtail snapper catch
The National Marine Fisheries Service will increase the allowable catch for yellowtail snapper in the jurisdiction of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, which runs from North Carolina to Florida. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, which oversees fisheries from Florida to Texas, will increase the annual catch limit for yellowtail in its jurisdiction from 725,000 pounds to 901,125 pounds. . more@keysnet
