Tag Archives: red-snapper

No NOAA Confidence! 5 Gulf States Propose Gulf State Red Snapper Management Authority

ast week, marine fishery directors from all five states bordering the Gulf of Mexico — the first time all of the states have collaborated — sent out a proposal to Congress to develop an independent body, Gulf State Red Snapper Management Authority. The group would approve each state’s management plan, coordinate population assessments, provide consistent accountability measures and distribute federal funding for research, assessment and management. Read the rest here 18:50

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

Sikes: Snapper battle ramps up a notch

CORPUS CHRISTI – As expected, speculation and the latest outrage regarding red snapper regulations are ramping up for an epic battle. The Gulf Coast Fisheries Management Council voted to recommend a proposal that would divide the annual recreational quota of red snapper into separate portions. Read the rest here 08:15

Gulf Council votes 10-7 in favor of Amendment 40 – 75 percent of gulf red snapper fishery would go to private businesses forever

GMFMC SidebarThursday’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

GMFMC SidebarThe  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

Red snapper amendments are on the table and all alternatives are bad: reader opinion

GMFMC SidebarOn the table for discussion are a couple of contentious issues. The most immediate is Amendment 40, which would separate the recreational community into two sectors – the “for hire” or charter sector and the private recreational sector. The other issue, Amendment 28, would address reallocation of the red snapper quota between the recreational and commercial sectors. Read the rest here 18:57

The Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Council is scheduled to meet in Biloxi, Miss. to discuss red snapper rules

Charlene Ponce, the council’s public information officer, said final action on the issue will not be taken until October. The question of sector separation is one that wildlife groups including the Louisiana Coastal Conservation Association believe could cut private anglers’ access to red snapper. On the other side, charter captains argue the move is necessary to protect their livelihoods. Read more here 09:34

Red snapper catches reported as outstanding, stock assessment needed now

council_fishing_headerAfter two of the three weekends of the red snapper recreational mini-season, outstanding catches have been reported throughout the South Atlantic region. Here are some of the news reports: Read more here 14:06

The warped notions of a Red Snapper Rec Shill – Red snapper management is broken

There was a time when wild duck was a staple of any Chesapeake Bay restaurant. Canvasbacks were a particular favorite. The ducks were killed by commercial hunters. Some mounted huge 4-gauge guns on the bows of their duck boats, stealthily sculled up to big rafts of ducks and maximized their kill by firing into the flock sitting on the water. Read more here 09:30

The Red Snapper War – Gulf states fight back as feds seek to reel in recreational fishing season

Gulf Coast charter captains say the feds are ruining their businesses by needlessly cutting their fishing season in response to complaints from commercial fishermen, and now their state lawmakers are stepping up to tackle the issue. “Environmental organizations, who have infiltrated our federal government — they are hell-bent on reducing the fleet of fisherman,” Zales said. Read more here 16:58

U.S. Sen. David Vitter – Protecting red snapper fishing – The Commercial/Recreational Conflict

The group responsible for overseeing our fisheries and protecting this access is the Gulf of Mexico Regional Fishery Management Council. But this group, supposedly dedicated to fairly managing our fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico, continues to chip away at the rights of recreational anglers — particularly with access to the red snapper fishery. Read more here 08:20

Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) Announces Legislation Affecting Red Snapper, Gulf Fisheries

“The bill provides sufficient resources and direction to improve the management of our Nation’s fisheries, including new approaches to manage red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Shelby.  “These new approaches should provide a more equitable system for commercial fishermen and increase the number of fishing days for recreational anglers.” Read more here 16:15

Mississippi to start voluntary snapper reporting program – (It should be mandatory)

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources will start its voluntary red snapper reporting program for recreational fishermen on June 1. The purpose of the program is to allow agency officials to better track how many red snapper are being harvested and landed in Mississippi.  Read more here  15:13

South Mississippi’s recreational and charter fishermen want more snapper

BILOXI — If South Mississippi recreational fishermen and charter boat operators had their way, they would get a larger share of the red snapper quota. That was the message of voting Tuesday night at the Red Snapper Summit put on by the state Department of Marine Resources. Read more here  13:32

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

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

National Marine Fisheries Service violated law – Federal Ruling on Allocation Favors Gulf Commercial Red Snapper Fishermen

GSI-LogoFederal Ruling on Allocation Favors Gulf Commercial Red Snapper Fishermen A federal ruling has been handed down that the U.S. government violated the law by failing to properly manage the Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper fishery. Read more here  16:16

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

More information is available here. Visit the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council website. 12:40

“The first thing we noticed was a single red snapper float by, Then, in an instant, it was a floatilla of dead red snapper as far as we could see.”

They have plenty of fishing tales to tell, but it’s a disturbing discovery last August that the Helldivers wanted to share. WTF??? continued@local15

The South Atlantic region welcomes back the Red Snapper

— After being closed for almost two years, the Red Snapper season is now open  to the fishers again. continued@romenewstribune

Red snapper season to open

The commercial season will open on Aug. 26 and will end when the annual catch limit is projected to be met, NOAA officials said. The daily trip limit will be 75 pounds gutted weight with no minimum size limit. continued@daytonabeachnj

Commercial anglers aren’t hoarding snapper

I read with astonishment Capt. Bob Zales II’s opinion in The News Herald (“Red snapper fishing ‘haves’ are suing the ‘have-nots’,” letter, July 14) concerning the commercial red snapper fisherman’s lawsuit (Guindon v. Pritzker) filed June 28 in Washington, D.C. continued@newsherald

2nd red snapper season likely in the Gulf

One of the most popular fish in the Gulf of Mexico has rebounded enough to allow a second season this year for red snapper, scientists say. continued@miamiherald

Judge voids snapper season curtailment saying the National Marine Fisheries Services was playing a twisted version of Robin Hood

A federal judge in Brownsville has struck down a federal emergency ruling to limit red snapper season in Texas, Louisiana and Florida, saying the National Marine Fisheries Services was playing a twisted version of a popular fictional character. Furthermore, if one looks at the actual poundage of red snapper caught, and if one takes this admittedly weak literary reference one step further, when comparing at least Louisiana and Texas with Alabama, the NMFS is doing just the opposite — it is robbing from the poor to give to the rich.”continued @ The Brownsville Herald

Gulf Fishermen Get More Snapper!

Associated Press – Updated recreational landings data and new information from Louisiana and Texas  prompted the change, according to a release from NOAA Fisheries, part of the National  Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA Fisheries also raised the total allowed red snapper catch from 8 million  pounds to nearly 8.5 million pounds, with 51 percent for commercial boats and  the rest for anglers. continued

La. State Sen. Bret Allain steadfast on Louisiana Red Snapper flame war with NOAA’s southeast region fisheries administrator Roy Crabtree

Tri-Parish Times – Sen. Bret Allain (R-Patterson) maintains that he will continue pressing passage of his bill, SB 157, which would prohibit the sale or possession of red snapper, dead or alive, on Louisiana’s waters or lands. Allain acknowledges that his intent is to use the spectra of a commercial fishing ban on the species to bring Roy Crabtree, NOAA’s southeast region fisheries administrator, before his committee to discuss changes in NOAA rules on recreational snapper fishing. continued

Popular red snapper makes a comeback

South Florida Sun-Sentinel – WASHINGTON – Over 18 years of running Old Dixie Seafood in Boca Raton, Larry Siemsen has seen supplies of locally caught red snapper dwindle and prices double, thanks to decades of over-fishing and recent federal restrictions to help the popular fish recover. But now the red snapper is making a comeback near Florida’s shores, saved by those strict federal limits. And Florida anglers, state officials and boat captains — who say they’re finding far more big, healthy snappers – are clamoring for looser limits on this favorite for catching and eating. Not so fast, conservationists say continued

South Atlantic Red rules under review by the NMFS (noaa fisheries is not an agency)

Miami Herald – NOAA proposes to develop an equation to determine the annual catch limit for both the commercial and recreational sectors if fishing is allowed. But first it plans to establish whether last summer’s mini-season resulted in too many landings and dead discards. continued

Proposal fails to reel in debate over Louisiana’s shortened snapper season

Earlier in the legislative session, Sen. Bret Allain, R-Franklin, got passage of a resolution requesting that federal officials address lawmakers in Baton Rouge to explain why Louisiana’s red snapper season has gone from 194 days in 2004 to just nine for 2013, but they declined. continued