Gulf Council meeting in New Orlean.

[biggun]

Hi Guys..

If any of you care about the future of the red snapper make your voice heard. I'll be there..

Everyone,


Next week, the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council will hold its meetings in New Orleans at the Riverside Hilton . On the agenda for the four day meeting are numerous items, including Thursday’s final action on the reallocation of Red Snapper. As you all know, federal management of Red Snapper has been a mess for a long time, and they have not reconsidered the current allocation (51% to the commercial fleet, 49% to recreational anglers) in 30 years. Now that the charter for hire sector has been separated, or carved out, from the recreational sector, our 49% has been reduced even further. Today, almost 3/4 of the red snapper resource is reserved for private business owners while the public is left with the scraps. Of course, this is part of the reason us recs were stuck with our 9 day season in 2015. The unfair allocation and unjustly short season is detrimental to marinas and other businesses that depend on recreational anglers and tourists, and also hurts the single boat charter operators- who make up the backbone of the LA Charter industry.


On Wednesday Aug 12 at 1pm, there will be a Public Testimony session. It is important that the recreational sector is well represented during public testimony to advocate for reallocation . The Environmental groups, the commercial fleet and the Alabama & Florida charter & head boat groups will be well represented for sure, and most of them will testify in one voice against the need to reallocate.

[biggun]

Just a simple side note on Red Snaps...


Finally.. The RECREATIONAL Fishermen WON......

The gulf council voted thursday to adopt alternative 8 of amendent 28.

bu there own admission their data to esimated red snapper stocks has been very under estimated.

Here is the voted alternative 8 .

Thus, Preferred Alternative 8 would allocate 51.5% and 48.5% of the red snapper quota to the recreational and commercial sectors, respectively. In addition to the amount of quota attributable to the recalibration of MRIP catch estimates..

How many more days this will get us I don't now.. But at least its a step in the right direction..

CCA is also suing the Gulf Council; and will hopefully get the the Amendment 40 Sector Separation overturned.

if we can get regional management with each state managing its on snaps,, that would be a great winn..

The state just announced that it will close the state snapper season Sept. 6.

I heard during the pubic comment a state biologist indicated that from the LA Creel surveys done for snapper.. LA would not come close to catching out part of the quota in 6 months of the state snapper season.. The feds estimated it would take us 9 days to catch...

[B][I]It was very gratifying to know maybe my comments based on fishing or diving for red snaps help change something for the good. I didn't ***** about it. I had the opportunity to do something about an issue to care about..

Myself and about 30 other recreational fishermen did... Believe me when I say we were out numbered 15 to 1 with commercial and for hire captains, head boats from So. Tx. to east coast of Fla.. Very well know chefs, give comments that if a CHANGE on commercial red snaps was made..... They would not have any red snaps to put on their plates and no one would come eat at their restaurants.

[meaux fishing]

Glad you could go and help the change. I just had too much going on Wednesday to make it over there