Hetland
Contributor
NOAA is Seeking Comments on a Proposed Rule to Increase the Red Snapper Quotas in the Gulf of Mexico
Proposed Increase to Red Snapper Quotas
- Thread starter Hetland
- Start date
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Regulatory discards will force an early closure or just reduce the amount available next year. That proposed increase is negligible... although I am happy it isn't another drastic cut.
OP
Hetland
Contributor
Think they'll increase the bag limit or just the total tonnage?
I'd be happy with slot limits. I'd bet they would be more effective than the current catch-n-cull scheme they have set up.
Slot will not help with regulatory discards, quite the opposite actually. All the people that go out fishing for grouper or others while red snapper are closed and have have to throw all of them (red snapper) back figure heavily into the math about how many are killed after being released. Likewise,if you restrict the sizes of acceptable fish with a min and a max more fish will get be released and die (or counted as dead by NMFS) for each one caught and kept.
I'm not sure what you mean by catch and cull, but there is no really simple solution for the rec sector that preserves the people's access to the fishery. This is why sector separation is getting so much traction, its just easier to see what came out of the water and do the math. Alas you will only be able to take fish off a charter boat when it comes to pass.
If I had to guess they will extend the season a week for the rec sector, if that.
I'm not sure what you mean by catch and cull, but there is no really simple solution for the rec sector that preserves the people's access to the fishery. This is why sector separation is getting so much traction, its just easier to see what came out of the water and do the math. Alas you will only be able to take fish off a charter boat when it comes to pass.
If I had to guess they will extend the season a week for the rec sector, if that.
The only solution I think that could work would be to firstly, on a federal level, establish in law that fishing is a citizen's right not a privilege, and that no private interest should have superior rights to the public resource.
Next establish a rule like, "You get to keep the first four fish you catch regardless of size or species." Maybe add certain exceptions for spawning periods to keep gags from being hit when they aggregate. There should be no catch and release in an offshore fishery, certainly not when regulatory discards are half of the quota.
Commercial and For hire interests only get a share if there is enough after that.
Next establish a rule like, "You get to keep the first four fish you catch regardless of size or species." Maybe add certain exceptions for spawning periods to keep gags from being hit when they aggregate. There should be no catch and release in an offshore fishery, certainly not when regulatory discards are half of the quota.
Commercial and For hire interests only get a share if there is enough after that.
OP
Hetland
Contributor
When someone throws back the smallest snapper for a few hours until they have two big fish.
My opinion is that slots preserve the older, larger fish for what they do best: breeding. I would think it would cut down on culling, but if your experience is different I'm open to being convinced.
I like the first four fish rule, but I don't ever see it happening, at least not to the level you're suggesting. I could see "first four snapper" being implemented.... maybe.
Yeah its a tough one. The tough thing with regulations is that they are only as good as the people they intend to regulate or, failing a compliant public, their ability to be enforced. People that catch and cull, as you call it are for sure the social equivalent of bilge slime, IMHO.
I agree with the idea of a slot limit protecting the larger breeders, except that the larger breeding stock are commonly found in deeper water and even less likely to survive a trip to the boat deck. If only we could legislate that everyone had to be a spearo so they can see what size fish they are targeting.
Then again if you are worried about red snapper breeding the real enemy of that species is shrimping, which accounts for 80% of the deaths of the <1 year olds.
No good options.
I agree with the idea of a slot limit protecting the larger breeders, except that the larger breeding stock are commonly found in deeper water and even less likely to survive a trip to the boat deck. If only we could legislate that everyone had to be a spearo so they can see what size fish they are targeting.
Then again if you are worried about red snapper breeding the real enemy of that species is shrimping, which accounts for 80% of the deaths of the <1 year olds.
No good options.
sontek
Contributor
I say we do away with hook & line!! If you want a fish put on a tank and go find one!
If only I were King! Seriously though, if you guys (anyone reading this that fishes with any gear type) aren't following the catch shares/sector separation issue don't be surprised if you wake up in a year and can no longer use your own boat ( or your friend's boat) to go fishing in the GoM. If the Charter for Hire guys break away and get to claim half of what was the rec allocation and all of the regulatory discards get left on the rec sector there will not ever be an open season or one so brief as to be ridiculous.
The options being floated to avoid this by the same people who are pushing for it include VMS for every rec boat (a joke of a solution), IFQs for individual rec boats, or some combination of the two. These are seemingly deliberate non-starters. The Head of NOAA (hence NMFS) used to work for EDF specifically towards propagating this type of regulatory structure.
All they have to do if they want better data is to mandate some sort of electronic logbook for the rec sector, like charter boats currently use. They are working on an iPhone app for it due out soon. If charter Captains can do it so can the rec sector. Then there will be real time data into the system, and while not everyone will do the right thing and report everytime.... I'd bet they triple their data or more over the insane MRFSS system (dubbed "fatally flawed" but the "best science available" upon review by federal judges) currently being used to drive regulations.
This is a huge deal, with huge economic repercussions, and very few people are paying attention. I have my permits and a little cash squirreled away to buy shares. If I were a rec angler with a boat, I'd be pretty serious about either standing up and fighting or becoming part of the impending "Charter/For Hire" Sector. Good luck selling your offshore fishing boat when, in effect, no one is allowed to go fishing.
The options being floated to avoid this by the same people who are pushing for it include VMS for every rec boat (a joke of a solution), IFQs for individual rec boats, or some combination of the two. These are seemingly deliberate non-starters. The Head of NOAA (hence NMFS) used to work for EDF specifically towards propagating this type of regulatory structure.
All they have to do if they want better data is to mandate some sort of electronic logbook for the rec sector, like charter boats currently use. They are working on an iPhone app for it due out soon. If charter Captains can do it so can the rec sector. Then there will be real time data into the system, and while not everyone will do the right thing and report everytime.... I'd bet they triple their data or more over the insane MRFSS system (dubbed "fatally flawed" but the "best science available" upon review by federal judges) currently being used to drive regulations.
This is a huge deal, with huge economic repercussions, and very few people are paying attention. I have my permits and a little cash squirreled away to buy shares. If I were a rec angler with a boat, I'd be pretty serious about either standing up and fighting or becoming part of the impending "Charter/For Hire" Sector. Good luck selling your offshore fishing boat when, in effect, no one is allowed to go fishing.
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