"AS for as I'm concerned; anyone who doesn't know how to release a snapper properly should not be fishing them..
They are LOWWW LIFES.. and F-- ing azzzholes. What F ----- ing douse bags.... I'm sure they had not landing permits, or were NOT using circle hooks...
People like these are the reason we have a 2 snap limit... So if u are a member on here; just know game wardens MAY BE are looking for U..."
While I agree that there is a proper way to release snapper (even though I have seen no properly performed controlled and repeated studies that a "proper" release has any effect, positive or negative, on the population) in all likelyhood the guys you are upset at are likely doing us all a favor. They are not the reason for the 2 fish limit...to the contrary...the limit makes snapper fishermen more likely to cull "smaller" fish to try to get 2 fish that make an offshore run worthwhile. I have fished the offshore waters for snapper and other reef fish as well as pelagics for over 40 years. I, as many of us here, can recall the days when you were lucky to catch a 10lb+ snapper and a 5 lb fish was not a given on any trip. The saying back in the 70's and early 80's was "you have to get past the triggerfish and amberjack to reach the snapper". Now you have a severe overpopulation of snapper (most likely due to a combination of TED's on the trawls and the ridiculous limits/total allowable catch/season) to the detriment of grouper, amberjack, and yes, even the lowly triggerfish. While the cull you witnessed was disturbing to see it is likely to have a
positive impact on the reef fish population as a whole. The culprit in all this mess is the NMFS and the anti-fishers that have their ear/pocket. Rant off...flame away
I now fish inland/coastal waters where such matters of limits are not controversial
.