‘CCA South Atlantic’ Articles
Overwhelming opposition to management scheme at Gulf Council workshop
TAMPA, FL – If the public comment period at the Sector Separation Workshop hosted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is any indication, recreational anglers are united against any proposal to separate the recreational sector into for-hire/charter and private boat angler categories. The three-day workshop was put on by the Gulf Council this week ostensibly to help managers and stakeholders gain a better understanding of sector separation as a proposed management tool for recreational fisheries.
“CCA is opposed to sector separation simply because it makes recreational anglers compete against each other at a time when there seem to be fewer and fewer opportunities for anglers to pursue fish offshore,” said Chester Brewer, chairman of CCA’s National Government Relations Committee. “There would be no desire for sector separation if we had adequate allocation for these fisheries in the first place, and the allocation problem is not going to be fixed through a management scheme that slices up the recreational sector.”
As it stands now, fisheries managers divide harvest quotas between commercial boats and recreational anglers. Under Sector Separation, managers would assign quotas to commercial boats, private boat anglers and charter/for-hire boats. In testimony submitted to the Gulf Council, CCA focused on four key points in opposing sector separation:
- The creation of imbalances in distribution of fish among anglers fishing from private boats and those fishing on charter vessels;
- The creation of deep political conflicts within states as decision-makers grapple with how to spread fishing opportunities between private and charter sectors;
- The challenges state fisheries directors will have when determining how Sector Separation will influence the growth in licensed anglers and fishing opportunities in their states;
- Shorter public season for most offshore fishing. Private boat anglers will often be unable to pursue many species unless they pay a charter/for-hire vessel.
“Sector separation will only create additional divisiveness among users and will further detract from the public’s ability to access these important natural resources,” said Brewer. “We sincerely hope that Council members are listening to the overwhelming majority of recreational anglers who believe that this is not a good management tool for our sector. There is a long list of serious problems that need to be resolved before the Council should even consider taking on this kind of diversion.”
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CCA is the largest marine resource conservation group of its kind in the nation. With almost 100,000 members in 17 state chapters, CCA has been active in state, national and international fisheries management issues since 1977. Visit www.JoinCCA.org for more information.
Tags: Catch Shares, reallocation, sector separation
Posted in CCA Atlantic States, CCA Federal Fisheries, CCA Gulf of Mexico, CCA Pacific Northwest, CCA South Atlantic, Catch Shares | No Comments »
$5,000 contribution kicks off efforts to restore Gulf habitat through Sportsman Fund
Gulf of Mexico habitat restoration efforts received another shot in the arm this week when Sportsman Channel announced a $5,000 contribution directly to the Sportsman Fund, a special fund it created with Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) to benefit Gulf Coast habitat in the wake of this summer’s oil spill. The pledge is in addition to the Sportsman Channel’s commitment to funnel this year’s proceeds from the monthly fee of every new Sportsman Channel SD and HD a la carte subscriber on DISH Network to the Sportsman Fund.
“A healthy and vibrant Gulf of Mexico is important to all of us, and we are thankful to have a partner like Sportsman Channel that has such a clear vision for what needs to be done over the long term to achieve that goal,” said Patrick Murray, CCA president. “Their generosity in not only creating the Sportsman Fund, but also seeding it with $5,000 shows that this company is run by sportsmen, for sportsmen, to promote the tradition of conservation.”
Sportsman Channel, the leader in outdoor TV for the American Sportsman, announced earlier this month that the network is available as an a la carte option on DISH Network Ch. 395. To help bring awareness and support to Gulf restoration efforts, DISH Network offered a free preview of Sportsman Channel during September. Outdoor enthusiasts can subscribe to Sportsman Channel a la carte by visiting www.dish.com.
“Continual funding of the Sportsman Fund is very important to us to ensure it stays top-of-mind among the media and our community alike,” said Gavin Harvey, Sportsman Channel CEO. “We have more plans for this fund; the DISH Network collaboration is just one piece of the puzzle. The Gulf may not get back to its original form – our intentions are to make it better.”
CCA has worked closely with government and regulatory agencies since the beginning of the Gulf oil disaster to ensure the Gulf’s habitats, fishing industries, marine life and resources are adequately represented and supported. CCA’s history and experience in marine habitat restoration and coastal conservation will continue to be a vital component in the recovery and restoration of Gulf marine resources.
“We continue to see signs of progress and hope across the Gulf of Mexico, but there is still much we can do to help ensure a steady recovery through research and habitat restoration,” said Murray. “The real work starts now, and thanks to the Sportsman Channel, CCA volunteers along the Gulf Coast will be even more prepared to implement projects that best benefit the resource.”
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SPORTSMAN CHANNEL: Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel is the only television and digital media company fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen in the United States, delivering entertaining and educational programming focused exclusively on hunting, shooting and fishing activities. Sportsman Channel is now available in HD, check with your local cable or satellite provider. Acquired by InterMedia Outdoors Holdings in 2006, Sportsman Channel reaches 27 million U.S. television households and is a part of the nation’s largest multimedia company targeted exclusively to serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts. Visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com, follow on Twitter, @SPORTSMANchnl (www.twitter.com/SPORTSMANchnl), become a Fan on Facebook, www.facebook.com/sportsmanchannel and download Sportsman App at www.itunes.com/appstore
ABOUT CCA: Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is the largest marine resource conservation group of its kind in the nation. With almost 100,000 members in 17 state chapters, CCA has been active in state, national and international fisheries management issues since 1977. CCA’s strength is drawn from the tens of thousands of recreational saltwater anglers who make up its membership. From South Texas to the Puget Sound to the upper reaches of Maine, CCA’s grassroots influence is felt through state capitols, U.S. Congress and, most importantly, in the conservation and restoration of our coastal marine resources. Visit www.JoinCCA.org for more information.
Tags: CCA Building Conservation, marine habitat, Sportsman Fund
Posted in CCA Atlantic States, CCA Building Conservation, CCA Gulf of Mexico, CCA Pacific Northwest, CCA South Atlantic | No Comments »
Remington rebates benefit Building Conservation habitat program
HOUSTON, TX – In a unique partnership between the hunting and angling communities, Remington Arms Company is offering a way for its customers to restore one of our country’s most valuable wildlife habitats through CCA’s Building Conservation Habitat Program. As part of its Fall 2010 Rebate Roundup program, Remington customers will have the option to donate all or a portion of the rebate to marine habitat projects in the Gulf of Mexico.
“We are pleased and honored that Remington sees Building Conservation as a worthy recipient of rebate contributions from its customers,” said Patrick Murray, CCA president. “Hunters and anglers share the same conservation ideals, and we are grateful that Remington is creating a program to help the Gulf when it needs it the most. Those funds will help create the reefs and marshes that future generations of sportsmen will enjoy.”
“Our Fall 2010 Rebate Roundup is the largest rebate program we have ever offered at Remington. By partnering with CCA’s Building Conservation Program, our consumers have the option to donate all or a portion of their rebates to help the restoration of one of our country’s most valuable wildlife habitats – the Gulf Coast,” commented Roy Gifford, Vice President of Brand Management and Research for Remington Arms Company. “We are truly honored to be involved with the largest marine resource conservation group of its kind in the nation.”
CCA’s Building Conservation Program was created to provide funding for local, state and national marine habitat conservation and restoration projects. Program funds are directed to CCA’s 17 state chapters for grassroots-driven projects like marsh-grass planting, oyster shell recycling and offshore artificial reefs.
“Habitat restoration is not about just enhancing habitat, it is about creating a destination for recreational anglers to access the resource,” said Murray. “Hunters and anglers understand better than anyone the need to give something back to the resource. With partners like Remington, we can restore areas today that will mean more habitat, more fish, and better angling opportunities for the future.”
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About Remington Arms Company, Inc.
Remington Arms Company, Inc., headquartered in Madison, N.C., designs, produces and sells sporting goods products for the hunting and shooting sports markets, as well as solutions to the military, government and law enforcement markets. Founded in 1816 in upstate New York, the Company is one of the nation’s oldest continuously operating manufacturers. Remington is the only U.S. manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition products and one of the largest domestic producers of shotguns and rifles. The Company distributes its products throughout the U.S. and in over 55 foreign countries. More information about the Company can be found at www.remington.com.
Coastal Conservation Association is the largest marine resource conservation group of its kind in the nation. With almost 100,000 members in 17 state chapters, CCA has been active in state, national and international fisheries management issues since 1977. For more information visit the CCA Newsroom at www.JoinCCA.org.
Tags: CCA Building Conservation, marine habitat, Remington
Posted in CCA Atlantic States, CCA Building Conservation, CCA Gulf of Mexico, CCA Pacific Northwest, CCA South Atlantic | No Comments »
Sportsman SD and HD Now Available as A la Carte Option; New Subscriber Proceeds To Support Gulf Coast Fund & Coastal Conservation Association
New Berlin, Wis. (August 31, 2010) – Sportsman Channel, the leader in outdoor TV for the American Sportsman, today announced the network is available in both SD and HD as an a la carte option on DISH Network Ch. 395. In an effort to raise awareness and funds for Gulf regions working to recover from the recent oil spill disaster, Sportsman Channel will funnel this year’s proceeds from the a la carte pricing to a special “Sportsman’s Fund” created with the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) to benefit Gulf coast habitat restoration and research. CCA is one of the largest non-profit marine conservation groups in America.
To help support and bring awareness to these efforts, DISH Network is offering a free preview of Sportsman Channel Sept. 3 – 28. Additionally, Sportsmen Channel and its parent company, InterMedia Outdoors, are utilizing all print, on-air and digital assets to further promote the cause.
Outdoor enthusiasts can subscribe to Sportsman Channel a la carte by visiting www.dish.com or calling (800) 894-9131. Sportsman Channel and Sportsman HD launched in DISH Network’s America’s Top 250 package in February 2010.
“Because we’re donating our monthly fee to CCA, every new Sportsman Channel SD and HD a la carte subscriber on DISH Network is helping Gulf region sportsmen, families and wildlife,” said Sportsman CEO Gavin Harvey. “We are proud to join DISH Network and CCA in this drive to raise money and also to raise awareness that Gulf communities still need our support.”
CCA has worked closely with government and regulatory agencies since the beginning of the Gulf oil disaster to ensure the Gulf’s habitats, fishing industries, marine life and resources are adequately represented and supported. CCA’s history and experience in marine habitat restoration and coastal conservation will continue to be a vital component in the recovery and restoration of Gulf marine resources.
“We are thankful to have this unique partnership with Sportsman Channel and DISH Network that helps to raise awareness and vital funds to restore the Gulf of Mexico,” said Pat Murray, CCA president. “There are some very positive programs and signs of progress occurring throughout the Gulf, but there is still much to do. This generous program will be an important part of restoring and enhancing the Gulf’s fragile habitats.”
SPORTSMAN CHANNEL: Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel is the only television and digital media company fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen in the United States, delivering entertaining and educational programming focused exclusively on hunting, shooting and fishing activities. Sportsman Channel is now available in HD, check with your local cable or satellite provider. Acquired by InterMedia Outdoors Holdings in 2006, Sportsman Channel reaches 27 million U.S. television households and is a part of the nation’s largest multimedia company targeted exclusively to serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts. Visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com, follow on Twitter, @SPORTSMANchnl (www.twitter.com/SPORTSMANchnl), become a Fan on Facebook, www.facebook.com/sportsmanchannel and download Sportsman App at www.itunes.com/appstore
ABOUT CCA: Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is the largest marine resource conservation group of its kind in the nation. With almost 100,000 members in 17 state chapters, CCA has been active in state, national and international fisheries management issues since 1977. CCA’s strength is drawn from the tens of thousands of recreational saltwater anglers who make up its membership. From South Texas to the Puget Sound to the upper reaches of Maine, CCA’s grassroots influence is felt through state capitols, U.S. Congress and, most importantly, in the conservation and restoration of our coastal marine resources. Visit www.JoinCCA.org for more information.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Sportsman Channel
Michelle Scheuermann, 262.432.9100 ext. 111;mscheuermann@thesportsmanchannel.com
Amy Sorrells, 404-550-4885; amyssorrells@comcast.net
Coastal Conservation Association
Ted Venker, 713-626-4234; twvenker@JoinCCA.org
Tags: CCA Building Conservation, Gulf of Mexico, habitat, oil spill
Posted in CCA Atlantic States, CCA Building Conservation, CCA Gulf of Mexico, CCA Pacific Northwest, CCA South Atlantic | No Comments »
CCA participants hope to see results after meeting with NOAA Fisheries
Outdoorsmen were out in force at the nation’s capital last week as two events in Washington DC were dedicated to how this country manages its wild and natural resources. As President Obama hosted the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors on April 16, NOAA Fisheries was hosting the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Summit on April 16-17.
Coastal Conservation Association President Pat Murray was among those invited to hear President Obama’s remarks on the importance of reconnecting Americans to the outdoors during the event at the Department of the Interior. Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior, and Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, led the conference, which brought together leaders from communities across the country that are working to protect their outdoor spaces. Participants included ranchers and farmers, sportsmen and women, State and local government leaders, Tribal leaders, public lands experts, conservationists, youth leaders, business representatives and others for whom the outdoors is an integral part of their culture and community.
Just across town, a host of CCA volunteers and staff were participating in the NOAA Fisheries Recreational Fishing Summit, an event that fulfilled a promise by NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco to forge a better relationship between the recreational angling community and federal fisheries managers.
“We have participated in these kinds of summits before with NOAA leadership. Some of the CCA participants attending last week have been to two or even three of them without much to show for their efforts,” said Bob Hayes, CCA General Counsel. “However, I am optimistic that NOAA is listening and will help us with issues like catch shares, National Ocean Policy and the government’s attitude toward the recreational angling community. We did our part – we were very clear about what we would like to see change, and we provided hundreds of ways for them to do it.”
CCA participants in the 2010 Recreational Fishing Summit included:
Bob Hayes, CCA General Counsel – Next Steps and Accountability
Richen Brame, CCA Atlantic States Fisheries Director – Key Challenges Facing Recreational Saltwater Fishing Today
Mike Kennedy, CCA Florida – Regional Perspectives – South Atlantic
Ed Sapp, CCA Florida – Regional Perspectives – Gulf of Mexico
Lee Blankenship, CCA Pacific Northwest – Regional Perspectives – Pacific Northwest
Pat Murray, CCA President – Visions of Success
Matt Paxton, CCA Federal Lobbyist
Scott McGuire, CCA Maryland
Charlie Witek, CCA New York
Bill Bird, CCA Florida
Chester Brewer, Chairman of the CCA National Government Relations Committee
Russell Nelson, CCA Gulf Fisheries Consultant
Rad Trascher, CCA Louisiana
Ted Venker, CCA Director of Communications
Reaction from CCA representatives was cautiously optimistic that tangible benefits may result from the summit.
“One of the fundamental problems we’ve had with NOAA Fisheries is their utter lack of understanding the nature and management of recreational fisheries,” said Richen Brame, CCA Atlantic States Fisheries Director. ”No matter how hard they try, they cannot fit us neatly into the same management box as commercial fishermen. While I will not bet the ranch on it, there are at least signs of hope emanating from this conference that NOAA Fisheries is trying to understand recreational fisheries and may begin to manage them properly.”
“Those who participated in the summit did a great job clarifying and communicating our issues and concerns,” said Chester Brewer, CCA National Government Relations Committee chairman. “Eric Schwaab (NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries) has committed to preparing a work plan and follow-up to address the major items. I am cautiously optimistic.”
The two-day summit featured more than 30 speakers from all over the country, with plenty of time set aside for discussions among participants on key challenges and solutions for federal fisheries management.
“The stage has been set,” said Charlie Witek, CCA New York. “It’s now time for all of the actors to properly play out their roles. How they do so will determine whether the production will ultimately be viewed as a triumph, a flop or something in between. I feel, though, that at least there are folks out there who want to offer some help.”
Both Dr. Lubchenco and NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Eric Schwaab spoke at the summit, which drew a greater-than-expected crowd of 170 attendees, some from as far away as Alaska and Hawaii.
“The excellent turnout at this summit tells me that you want to be heard. And I am here to tell you that NOAA is not only listening, but we are also ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work with you,” said Dr. Lubchenco in her opening remarks. “I want to start by making one thing very clear: NOAA is committed to working with the recreational fishing community. NOAA’s commitment ‐‐my commitment‐‐ to saltwater anglers is not a hollow one. We do not intend to make empty promises.”
Schwaab told participants he had three goals for the summit: to walk away with a clear and common understanding of the issues of concern and some sense of the relative importance of those issues, nationally, regionally and strategically; to outline a process by which we will continue to work together on these issues, and to identify steps that can be taken to address these concerns; this will form the basis of an action agenda.
“We are here with a view toward the future, intent to build on previous successes, while learning from and avoiding mistakes of the past,” he said. “Over the next two days, we’ll have some focused discussions – about our desired outcomes, and pathways toward those outcomes.”
NOAA Fisheries will be posting video taken at the event to the agency’s web site in a couple of weeks, along with a complete copy of Dr. Lubchenco and Eric Schwaab’s remarks and other information. Other material on the event, including agenda packet, background documents, survey results and related documents may be found HERE.
Obama Admin Looks to Cast a Line With Anglers – New York Times, April 16, 2010
Tags: NOAA Fisheries, rec summit, recreataional fishing summit, summit
Posted in CCA Atlantic States, CCA Federal Fisheries, CCA Gulf of Mexico, CCA Pacific Northwest, CCA South Atlantic, Catch Shares, Magnuson-Stevens Act, National Oceans Policy | No Comments »
Anglers asked to help recover Georgia’s seatrout population after brutal winter
A coalition of angler-supported conservation groups, including Coastal Conservation Association Georgia, Georgia Wildlife Federation and Trout Unlimited, is calling on Georgia’s fishermen to ensure the future of one of their favorite catches – the spotted seatrout. Dubbed Operation ROE (Release Over Eighteen), the groups are asking their members and the angling public to voluntarily release spotted seatrout over 18 inches long so that more larger fish have a chance to participate in the 2010 spawning season. State biologists and many anglers are concerned that persistently low temperatures this winter caused widespread kills of spotted seatrout.
“Water temperatures below 44 degrees Fahrenheit can be lethal to spotted seatrout, and even if the fish aren’t killed immediately the stress from such extreme temperatures often leads to death later,” explains Spud Woodward, veteran fisheries biologist and director of the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “Plus, seatrout are less active in very cold water making them more susceptible to predators such as bottlenose dolphins.”
During a 10-day period in early January, DNR measured water temperatures from 40 to 44 degrees in several locations along the coast. Although the weather moderated somewhat in late January, below-average water temperatures persisted through early March, particularly north of the Altamaha River Delta.
“Anglers reported seeing dead seatrout in several areas of the coast as recent as late February. The situation is serious enough that we’ll be conducting special net surveys this spring to determine whether seatrout abundance has been significantly reduced,” said Woodward.
DNR studies show that approximately 94 percent of trout more than 18 inches in length are females, so it is not surprising that many anglers refer to all larger fish as roe (egg) trout. Research has shown that larger, older females produce many more eggs than smaller individuals. An 18-inch female seatrout has the potential to produce almost 18 million eggs during the six-month spawning season – almost five times the egg production of a 14-inch trout. Plus, older fish have survival traits valuable in the gene pool.
“The voluntary release of larger trout is a great way for the average angler to directly participate in conservation while helping to ensure there’ll be more fish to catch in 2011 and following years. We hope all coastal anglers will support Operation ROE,” said Harry Lowe, state chairman of CCA Georgia.
See an article in the Savannah Morning News about this effort.
Tags: freeze, Operation ROE, speckled trout
Posted in CCA South Atlantic | No Comments »
CCA position on Amendment 17A:
At this point, CCA does not support the adoption of any of the proposed regulatory changes in Amendment 17A. CCA calls for additional review of the science before making any additional management changes.
Click HERE for more details on the proposed closure.
Posted in CCA South Atlantic | No Comments »
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this contentious and unprecedented issue.
We recognize that the members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council have been put in an almost impossible position. This is a fisheries disaster that is 40 years in the making, and yet this Council has been tasked with fixing it in just two years. The federal government has conducted exactly one full, modern stock assessment on South Atlantic red snapper, leaving this Council with few options to find a way out of this unprecedented mess, and no one is happy with any of the options currently before us. That is unfair to the members of this Council, to the fishery and to the angling public. Seldom if ever have we seen a more neglected fishery than South Atlantic red snapper. As CCA’s general counsel said recently, if a corporation was managing this fishery, we would recommend that the entire management team, and especially the CEO, be fired.
It remains CCA’s position that the current red snapper stock assessment be reviewed again by a panel of stock assessment experts. We are well aware the assessment has been peer reviewed through the SEDAR process and judged to be the best available science, and that the Council’s SSC has concurred in that finding. However, in this special instance where the potential economic ramifications are so severe, we believe there must be another review of the assessment to make sure we are indeed using the best available science.
If further review indicates less stringent management measures could be implemented to end overfishing and meet the rebuilding target, that would be a simple matter within the current amendment process and would help ameliorate some of the impacts being encountered by anglers in this fishery.
We would like to draw special attention to the mention of the need for fishery independent surveys in this fishery. CCA views fishery independent data as critical to the establishment of a better assessment process that is not solely dependent on recreational and commercial catch for data. CCA commends the Council for identifying the need for such surveys in the future. We encourage the adoption of such survey methods as quickly as possible.
In closing, CCA is fully aware of the tenets of the Magnuson Act that are forcing this issue, yet we do not believe that closing down fishery after fishery for recreational anglers was what Congress had in mind when it reauthorized the Magnuson-Stevens Act in 2006. Large-scale closures should always be the last option explored by fisheries managers, not the first.
With that in mind, CCA at this time is not able to come to a consensus to give its support to any of the alternatives before this Council. We support ending overfishing and rebuilding this stock, but urge the Council to continue searching for an alternative that avoids closures.
Posted in CCA South Atlantic | No Comments »
CCA seeks guidelines for opening areas, disaster relief for impacted businesses
CCA is calling for a number of measures to reduce the impact of management action to address a disastrous red snapper situation in the South Atlantic.
“If the federal government is going to impose significant closures that will negatively impact recreational anglers and related businesses in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, then it is vital for the government to develop a real exit strategy from this terrible situation,” said Richen Brame, CCA South Atlantic fisheries director. “CCA is calling for specific, measurable criteria to determine when the objective of this plan will be met and recreational fishermen will be allowed to resume catching bottom fish.”
CCA has also requested that the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council conduct further review of the existing science to confirm the status of red snapper.
“All the extensive remedies being discussed are the result of a single stock assessment, the first full assessment ever conducted on South Atlantic red snapper. The federal government is asking anglers to swallow a very bitter pill with these unprecedented management proposals to close such a huge area to bottom fishing,” said Russell Kent, CCA National vice president. “With the Freedom to Fish language that CCA developed in the Magnuson Stevens Act, the federal government should at least develop guidelines to monitor and reopen those areas as soon as possible.”
Among the Freedom to Fish requirements are specific, measurable criteria to determine the conservation benefits of the closed area on the affected stocks of fish, a timetable for periodic review of the continued need for the closed area at least once every three years, and provisions for reopening the closed area to recreational fishing whenever the targeted conservation problem no longer exists.
In addition to requesting firm guidelines for terminating the closures, CCA will explore the feasibility of seeking a federal declaration of “resource disaster” to allow businesses impacted by the closures, such as charter boats and tackle shops, to receive financial relief.
“The inescapable fact is that the federal government has done a terrible job of managing this fishery and there is no silver bullet at this point to fix decades of neglect,” said Kent. “But the government should take responsibility for fixing what they can now, and helping the people who are bearing the greatest financial burden as a result of the closure is a good first step.”
Tags: disaster relief, South Atlantic red snapper
Posted in CCA South Atlantic | No Comments »
Unprecedented fisheries disaster in South Atlantic needs calculated response
In late 2006, Congress passed a significantly strengthened Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act, the overriding piece of legislation that guides federal fisheries management. Among other progressive provisions, the new law required managers to end overfishing by 2010. Only a year later, a stock assessment for South Atlantic red snapper, the first modern stock assessment ever done on the species, was released and proclaimed red snapper undergoing severe overfishing and so grossly overfished that it was instantly a full-blown crisis discovered right under managers’ noses.
Now those two events are colliding and recreational anglers from North Carolina to Florida are caught squarely in the middle.
“This is a perfect storm for fisheries management, and the system is clearly not designed to handle this type of unforeseen and unforeseeable situation,” said Richen Brame, Atlantic States Fisheries Director for Coastal Conservation Association (CCA). “If the science on red snapper is correct, then managers need to act. However, we believe that the measures that would be implemented for a stock that had been willfully mismanaged for 40 years should not be the same as those implemented for a stock such as this that has been ignored for 40 years and suddenly appears on the radar in a critically depressed condition.”
As a result, CCA is calling on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to take a calculated approach to red snapper to mitigate the impact on recreational angling to the greatest extent possible, including:
· Further review of the existing science on red snapper to confirm the status of the stock;
· Additional research to fill critical gaps in researchers’ knowledge of the species for management;
· While complete closure of any fishery should be the means of a last resort for any species, if upon further review and research it appears necessary for red snapper, then the fisheries for all other bottom species should remain open;
· Additional federal funding for the development of better release practices to reduce red snapper release mortality;
· When the stock is recovered, it should be managed as a purely recreational fishery;
· Any proposal to close all bottom fishing will be opposed by CCA unless all other options have been thoroughly exhausted and such closures comply with specific criteria outlined in the Magnuson-Stevens Act, including timelines for reopening, periodic research and assessment requirements, and minimum size designations that are no larger than that needed to achieve the rebuilding objectives for red snapper.
“We need a scalpel, not a sledge hammer to manage this species. Massive bottom closures just do not fit the unique circumstances of this extraordinary case,” said Brame. “Anglers are willing to do their part and accept extensive regulations to keep marine resources healthy whenever necessary, but any proposals to close all bottom fishing should be the management tool of absolute last resort.”
Tags: Magnuson-Stevens Act, South Atlantic red snapper
Posted in CCA South Atlantic | No Comments »
