Gulf of Mexico FMC Gag Grouper Limits and Five Month Closed Season (Dec.-April)

[caloosa]

This thread was copied from a thread submitted by a member of our local dive club, the Caloosa Dive Club of SW Florida, www.diveclub.org It was orginally submitted for viewing in our members only section for club member viewing only. It is also being circulated, as an original thread credited to Ferret on the Spearboard forum. I decided to put this onto our Scuba Board forum for all those who may have an interest to express viewpoints, and to relay info if they are inclined to attend the meeting.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is meeting soon to decide the NEW REGULATIONS FOR GAG GROUPER, including:

Bag Limit of One (1) Fish per Person
Five Month Closed Season (Dec.-April)

These regulations will be based on their “findings” that recreational fishermen (which also includes Charters and HeadBoats) KILL (not “release”) almost two pounds (1.85 lbs) of Gag for every pound they take home. In other words:

YOU KILL FOUR SHORT GAGS FOR EACH KEEPER!!!

Quote: “Nearly all of the dead discards (99%) come from the recreational sector”

(Do you think this is true???)
Visit www.GulfCouncil.org and read the document entitled “Scoping Document for Reef Fish Amendment 30”, for this and more “amazing” statistics!

What CAN YOU DO?

CALL or Write the Gulf Council at: 1-888-833-1844,
2203 North Lois Ave, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607
(e-mail: GulfCouncil@GulfCouncil.org)

CALL or Write the NOAA National Marine Fisheries-
SE Regional Office (Dr. Roy Crabtree, director) at:
1-727-824-5301, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701

Call or Write your Congressmen, Senators, and Gov. Crist

Attend one of these Public Hearings!

March 21, 2007
Best Western
6400 Dudley Drive
Naples, Florida
239-643-6655

It starts at 7pm.