Thread: NOAA News: Red Snapper

Originally Posted by eym_sirius

I'm curious as to what you think their motivation is to clamp down on the red snapper fishery? Why this one fish, especially given the fact that stocks have rebounded! If it's not about money, then what?

Strictly money. Visit Share the Gulf Notice what it says? "We need your support to protect access to local, sustainable Gulf fish for restaurants, consumers and seafood businesses." What about recreational fishermen? Nope. This group actively raises and spends money to shorten the recreational season through law suits and such. I used to think incompetence could explain it all, but the more I researched, it is a well-planned, well-executed effort by those who make lots of money off this fishery.

Seems like this is one of the reallocation choices (as opposed to 51 percent Commercial vs. 49 pecent Recreational: Alternative 4:

Increase the recreational sector’s allocation by 10 percent

(in other words --)allocate 41% of the red snapper quota to the commercial
sector and 59% of the quota to the recreational sector.

There's also an Annual Catch Target that's being proposed.
What they want to know in comments is the commercial vs recreational red snapper quota and to what degree or IF you favor the Annual catch target (ACT) and why - what benefit an increased percentage does for the local economies.
From the "Share the Gulf " (pro-commercial fishing) site:
"Amendment 28 is a controversial proposal being considered by the Gulf Council that would take a portion of the red snapper fishery out of the consumer seafood market and move into the recreational fishery" "We believe that all Americans – sportsmen as well as restaurants and seafood lovers – deserve to enjoy the Gulf's bounty. And they shouldn't have to catch it themselves to do so"

So according to the commercial fishing industry, the red snapper fight IS commercial vs. recreational and the recreational guys can comment on it (I did). It looks like this is the proper form to use to comment to the gulfcouncil.org Comment Form

And here's the text of the proposal to comment on. http://gulfcouncil.org/docs/Public%2...tion_Guide.pdf