New Study offers Hope to Gulf Red Snapper    

A new study by Dr. Bob Shipp, head of marine sciences at the University of South Alabama, and Dr. Steve Bortone, the new executive director of the Gulf Council, suggests that red snapper stocks in the Gulf of Mexico are far from decimated. In fact, their research indicates that snapper are thriving due to the creation of the largest artificial reef system in the world and they claim that evidence to the contrary may be the result of outdated scientific models. 
   “We’ve heard anecdotal evidence of a thriving Gulf red snapper population from our members in the fishing community for quite some time now,” said Patrick D. Murray, vice president of Coastal Conservation Association (CCA). “This new report offers an interesting explanation for it. The research by Dr. Shipp and Dr. Bortone is an indication that the anecdotal evidence should be examined more seriously.”

Atlantic Council Mulls Action on Red Snapper

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is set to consider management options to end overfishing in red snapper, if the work on the management options is done by its March 2 – 6 meeting in Jekyll Island, Georgia. A complete closure of the directed commercial and recreational fisheries is almost a certainty; the question is what other reef fish fisheries will be closed in certain areas or times in order to reduce dead discards of red snapper.

CCA Oregon Supports Selective Gear Legislation

 CCA Oregon is supporting legislation that begins the process of moving commercial fisheries over to selective gear and away from non-selective gill nets.  Putting conservation in front of harvest and utilizing the findings of the congressionally charted Hatchery Scientific Review Group, CCA Oregon’s agenda is to focus on protecting the fragile ESA (Endangered Species Act) listed runs, while providing for the maximum harvest of hatchery bred fish. 

ASMFC Considers Half-Measures for Winter Flounder

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has proposed a closure for all waters and gear that catch winter flounder in the Southern New England/Mid Atlantic stock (MA – DE) on May 1 in federal waters (3 – 200 miles). This stock is severely overfished and overfishing is still occurring; for all intents and purposes the stock has collapsed. The ASMFC had the opportunity to protect spawning fish in their natal estuaries this year before they were exposed to another year of fishing pressure, but decided to wait until their May meeting to take action. CCA argued the fishery should be closed as soon as possible to protect the few remaining females that move into the estuaries to spawn.

Saltwater Recreational Fisherman a Boom to Economy

Recreational saltwater anglers pumped more than $31 billion into the U.S. economy in 2006, with Florida, Texas, California, Louisiana and North Carolina receiving the largest share according to a new study issued by NOAA Fisheries Service. At the national level, saltwater anglers are estimated to have spent $5.8 billion on trip-based expenses, such as ice, bait, and fuel, and another $25.6 billion on fishing equipment and durable goods like fishing rods, fishing tackle, and boats. The top five coastal recreational fishing states are: Florida ($16.7 billion), Texas ($3.2 billion), California ($3.0 billion), Louisiana ($2.9 billion), and North Carolina ($2.0 billion).

NPR Takes on Exempted Fishing Permits

National Public Radio sent a reporter recently to interview CCA Gulf Fisheries consultant Russell Nelson at his office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about the bid by the longline industry to extend and expand Exempted Fishing Permits in conservation zones along the South Atlantic. Citing a host of concerns in a letter to National Marine Fisheries Service, Coastal Conservation Association is demanding that the original permits be allowed to expire on Feb. 28, 2009. Click HERE to see a CCA press release on this issue.

Close Call to Raise Commercial Striped Bass Quota by 25%

At its last meeting, the ASMFC Striped Bass Management Board charged the Technical Committee with several issues; one of which was to determine the effect on “F” if the coastal commercial harvest was increased by up to 25% - something the commercial sector has been after for several years.  Their analysis indicated the effect on age 8+ fish would be to raise “F” from 0.32 to 0.33 (just below the 0.34 overfishing threshold), or about 60,000 fish out of a total of about 6,000,000 taken and or discarded. 

Murray Appointed to UTMSI Advisory Council

CCA Vice President Patrick D. Murray has been appointed to the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) Advisory Council. The Advisory Council serves as a critical link between the University and the greater community.

CCA on Fox Sports Net

Fox Sports Net is running a 30-second CCA commercial during its Big Game Fishing the World with Norm Isaacs outdoors show on Sundays. The show reaches 110 million households nationwide.