# Snapper closed for good in the Atlantic



## Limitless (Jun 10, 2010)

Well, that's it!


*Red snapper ban and closure approved by SAFMC*

Recreational and commercial fishermen were dealt a huge blow by federal fishery managers Wednesday as the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council recommended closing nearly 5,000 square miles of fishing grounds to all forms of bottom fishing. The vote took place in Orlando during the Council's quarterly meeting.

The measure was made necessary in order to protect red snapper from being targeted by anglers or being caught as bycatch by anglers fishing for other snapper grouper species. According to studies by federal fishery scientists, red snapper do not have a good release mortality and often die after being caught, reeled up from over 100 feet of depth, and then released.

The move was criticized by many who claim the closure will shut down party boat and charter boat businesses, and hurt other businesses that depend on recreational fishing in coastal economies, already on their last legs due to a lagging economy. They also maintain the red snapper fishing has never been better and has been getting better for the past decade or more.

Environmental groups praised the decision saying the move was the only way red snapper stocks could be rebuilt in South Atlantic waters. The vote was needed, they say, due to wording in the Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorized in 2007, that states any fishery defined as overfished or experiencing overfishing must receive measures to stop it and rebuild the stocks.

Currently, the fishery is already under a moratorium for no harvest in all South Atlantic waters that was enacted January 4 and will continue until Dec. 5.

A new red snapper stock assessment should be finished in December, and the Council could then make adjustments to the long-term plan based on the results. It will take several months for the long term plan to take effect because it now must be reviewed by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

“The South Atlantic Council deserves credit for taking a significant step toward putting red snapper on the road to recovery," said Holly Binns, manager of the Pew Environment Group’s Campaign to End Overfishing in the Southeast. "The red snapper fishing moratorium and closed ocean area are essential for a species that has plummeted to just 3 percent of healthy population levels and has been fished at unsustainable rates for more than 40 years.

“We understand this is a difficult time for some fishermen now, but this plan will help secure future fishing opportunities and a healthy ocean ecosystem that benefit tourism and all of our coastal communities.

“Our hope is that red snapper rebound rapidly and that sustainable fishing can resume when the species has made good progress towards full recovery.”

The Environmental Defense Fund was not as accepting of the new rules as being the way to solve the red snapper problem. The organization backs the belief that catch share management is the best option for the commercial and for-hire (charter and party boats) sectors of the snapper and grouper fishery. Catch shares could potentially replace 17A’s closures with fishing seasons and reduce closed areas while fish populations rebuild. Private anglers deserve an opportunity to catch red snapper too, and fishermen and the Council have an opportunity to improve the management by exploring new tools like a tagging program.

The EDF stated in a press release that "Growing numbers of Southeast fishermen agree that catch shares are the best way forward."

Many anglers do not agree.

"Catch shares will be good for the big time commercial fishermen, but will hurt the part time commercial fisherman," said Robert Russell of Martin County.

Dave Heil of the Recreational Fishing Alliance based in Orlando blasted the vote.

"The SAFMC has ignored their sworn duty to follow the law and passed this unwarranted regulation," he said in an email Wednesday. "They based this regulation on SEDAR 15 which has been "thrown in the trash" and is being replaced by SEDAR 24 coming out this fall. It was totally irresponsible for the SAFMC to request this regulation when they clearly knew that it was based on bad science. Our calls for the council to wait until the new data was available fell on deaf ears."

Heil also said Governor Crist through his representative for the State of Florida on the council has voted to put thousands of Floridians working in the marine and fisheries industries out of work.

"It is irresponsible of Governor Crist to put so many Floridians out of work based on known bad information in the present economy." Heil said.

He said the Recreational Fishing Alliance will continue to fight this matter in the courts until "this baseless regulation is overturned."


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## seaweaver (Jun 10, 2010)

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## pottydoc (Jun 11, 2010)

One of the reps voting for 17a was from the orginization who claims to represent our interests. The CCA. They said they were against it, but voted in favor anyway. I dropped my membership a couple years ago, and CCA continues to remind me I made the right choice.


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## rustvyper (Jun 11, 2010)

well I intend to honor the ban the same way my great-grandfather in the mountains of NC honored prohibition in the 20's.


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## fishtail (Jun 11, 2010)

Now, now.
They are not taking ALL the fishing grounds on the Georgia and Florida coast.
Just this iddy bitty piece.


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## fishtail (Jun 11, 2010)

Oh and by the way,
the red colored Zone is not just Red Snapper closure,
It's a TOTAL ban on bottom fishing.
Spear fishing and trolling (presently) will be allowed.


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## PaulD (Jun 14, 2010)

.................they're not taking away all of your rights...............just your 1st and 2nd amentments.............

...................they aren't taking away all of your money in taxes....................just 50%..........................

....................they aren't telling you you can't work anymore........................they are just telling you all the jobs got moved over sea to China, you can work there........................

Who are "they" to tell "you" what "you" can do in the first place???? Isn't it better for "me" if "I" tell "them" what to do, afterall that is what "our" country was based on.

 

think about it.


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## fishtail (Jun 14, 2010)

Agreed Paul!

Sort of like saying you can have all the firearms and ammo you want


but you aren't allowed to discharge any at any time.


Years of failed fishing management has brought us to this point and the only answer has come to completely stop fishing in the endangered species environment.

unbelievable


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## fishtail (Jun 14, 2010)

You know, I don't have any answers to this problem.

For some reason I expected the people that are being educated and paid to manage this stuff to already have the best answers in conservation.


Now it has resorted to preservation.


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## deadend (Jun 14, 2010)

Join the FRA.  It's the only org. now that I trust with complete certainty.  www.thefra.org


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## MudDucker (Jun 15, 2010)

Here we go ... Obama gonna take your fishing away!


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## grim (Jun 15, 2010)

Meh, I hate to hear that guys.  

I will trade you though.  At least when your closure is done, there will be more and bigger fish.  I am not so sure what is gonna happen down here.


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## seaweaver (Jun 15, 2010)

errr


there is not problem w/ the size or amount of fish now....


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## seaweaver (Jun 15, 2010)

the problem is who....


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## grim (Jun 15, 2010)

And they will still be bigger, and more of them.  I am not argueing that the closure is needed.   I am just saying, it will not hurt the population, it will only help it.


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## PaulD (Jun 15, 2010)

Oh, there will be more and bigger fish but what good will it be to us, the recreational anglers? It'll be a EEZ area where catch shares will be the law of the sea and recreational fishing will be forbidden but hey we can sure buy some nice snapper from the commercial fisherman at $20 a pound.


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## pottydoc (Jun 15, 2010)

seaweaver said:


> the problem is who....
> 
> 
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Unbelievable. Over 1 1/2 minutes to unhook the fish, almost another minute to vent it, and the guy who's holding it for the incompetent, foul mouthed woman has a grip on it's eyes. I'm sure that one lived to reproduce.  These are the folks "advising" the ones who come up with stupid stuff like this closure.


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## fishtail (Jun 15, 2010)

No one has discussed the impact this will have on the area's outside the red zone.
No bottom fishing here will definitely increase the pressure outside the closed zone.


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## ratherbefishin (Jun 15, 2010)

seaweaver said:


> the problem is who....
> 
> 
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Obviously educated beyond their intelligence.


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## fishtail (Jun 15, 2010)

Latest word (unofficial) is this will take 6 months to implement.


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## PaulD (Jun 15, 2010)

Hummmmm..........it depends. Jane will sign off on it quickly, after that it's a matter of what Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke, has on his plate. Then there is already class action lawsuits that'll be waiting time it is signed. After it's signed it'll be the rule but you have the issue of prosecuting people with a lawsuit pending, which they can't make hold up until the lawsuit is reviewed and a ruling is given. I can tell you the class action suit on this is going to be "fluff" I don't see it having any teeth and after a few months the closing will be upheld.


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## seaweaver (Jun 15, 2010)

Sooo the feds will enforce this right?
local cop cannot enforce fed law on illegals...can the dnr enforce fed law?
will they have to provide radar targets for trial? first hand seizure? sat photographs?...our own GPS tracks?

there a new combo to learn: Delete Tracks?: yes

cw


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## fishtail (Jun 15, 2010)

Currently the intent is (like most policemen do) to determine just how the possible perpetrator acts when inspected  and then (if warranted) proceed toward releasing or questioning further.
It's gonna be real tricky from here on out trying to explain where you caught fish anywhere near this zone. You do not have to volunteer gps stuff or the like, but do have to answer the questions.  
The State does also patrol these waters, will prosecute and then turn over violators to the federal people.


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## PaulD (Jun 15, 2010)

The state will enforce it with the feds. The feds can give the state the go ahead to patrol it.
I find it disturbing and ironic that the state doesn't have enough money to keep our educational system up and take care of our children's education and we're going rear up in debt but they have enough money to do trout Surveys and putting new motors on DNR boats to enforce new closures.......yet are questioning themselves about having enough man power to enforce it. Kinda seems like our government doesn't mind degrading our education system and spending tons of money on interest groups but won't protect its citizens interest........hummmm...........if you govern education and cut down what our children are taught does it make it easier to push an agenda on them. . Think about it.

Here's one for ya too. The SAMFC is an appointed committee, not elected. If the man that is in charge of the appointing ( Roy Crabtree) wants something done why would he appoint anyone that would disagree with him? See if they don't agree they will essentially be in contempt of the council. These people that are doing this are smart fellas. They always keep a few on the council that'll take the brunt of it while they overt the situation but don't be fooled, the ones pulling the strings are very smart and know how to get what they want. Crabtree, Locke, Lubchenco are shape and they have to be approached and disposed of properly, which would be to cut the head off the snake. Y'all know who the head is right? He's elected.


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