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FWC proposes changes to Gulf red
snapper regulations
September 13, 2007
Contact: Lee Schlesinger, (850) 487-0554
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) has proposed changes to management rules for
red snapper harvested in Gulf of Mexico state waters. These
proposed rules would be consistent with pending red snapper
regulations in Gulf federal waters.
Red snapper is considered to be overfished and
undergoing overfishing in the Gulf, and federal law requires
that measures be taken to end overfishing and rebuild red
snapper stocks. Florida waters extend nine nautical miles
offshore in the Gulf, and federal waters extend beyond state
waters.
Earlier this year, the National Marine Fisheries
Service implemented a temporary action to reduce the harvest of
Gulf red snapper in federal waters while a permanent plan to
manage overfished stocks was finalized. This interim action for
Gulf federal waters reduced the daily recreational bag limit
from 4 fish to 2 fish per person, prohibited the captain and
crew of for-hire vessels from retaining the recreational bag
limit, and lowered the commercial minimum size limit from 15 to
13 inches total length.
However, the FWC made no changes to red snapper
regulations in Gulf state waters, and Florida’s daily
recreational and commercial bag limit for red snapper is still 4
fish per person, the captain and crew of for-hire vessels can
still keep the recreational bag limit, and the commercial
minimum size limit remains unchanged at 15 inches total length.
New permanent federal Gulf red snapper
regulations that will replace the interim rules are expected to
be finalized by late 2007 and be implemented for the 2008
fishing season. The FWC has proposed rules for Gulf state waters
that are consistent with the pending federal rules.
These measures would reduce the daily
recreational bag limit of Gulf red snapper from 4 fish to 2 fish
per person, establish a zero daily bag limit for captains and
crew of Gulf for-hire vessels, and shorten the recreational
fishing season for Gulf red snapper to 107, 122 or 154 days,
depending upon the outcome of the pending federal rules.
In addition, these proposed rules would reduce
the minimum size of commercially harvested red snapper in the
Gulf and the minimum size of imported red snapper from 15 to 13
inches total length, and reduce the daily commercial bag and
trip limit of Gulf red snapper from 4 fish to 2 fish per day.
The proposed rules would also allow only
non-stainless steel circle hooks to be used to harvest any reef
fish when natural baits are used and require a venting tool and
a de-hooking device to be present onboard vessels harvesting any
reef fish.
"Florida plays an important role in the success
of the federal Gulf red snapper rebuilding plan because
Florida’s recreational fishery accounts for a large proportion
of the recreational red snapper catch,” said FWC Chairman Rodney
Barreto. "Taking these proposed actions will likely prevent
further restrictions on red snapper harvest in Gulf federal
waters, which is where Florida anglers catch most of the fish.”
A final public hearing on these rule proposals
will take place during the FWC’s February meeting in Panama
City. |
