Recovery in a snap

As I mentioned a few weeks ago in another Sorting Table entry, things are looking up for the Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery.

NMFS officials announced this week at the council meeting in New Orleans that overfishing has ended prior to the 2010 deadline. Though the season may remain curtailed at 75 days, the 2010 total allowable catch — to be split between commercial and recreational fishermen, at 51 and 49 percent, respectively — is 6.9 million pounds, up from 5 million this year.

Officials predict an eventual TAC closer to 15 million pounds and progressively longer seasons.

Final word on the season length will come in February. The primary argument for it remaining short is that recreational fishermen caught almost 2 million pounds more than their allotment in 2009.

While I don't think it's fair to wag our fingers at recreational fishermen and blame them alone for overfishing their quota (fishery managers ought to be keeping track to prevent this from happening in the first place). I do think it's reasonable for the commercial sector to continue to ask why their industry is treated so differently than the sport industry.

When commercial fishermen are exceeding their quotas, somebody gets on the ball and figures out a way to cut losses, no holds barred. But if the only result from the recreational snapper fleet fishing nearly 180 percent of their quota is that the season remains the same with an uptick in TAC, then there's something stinky on the dock.

Comments

[Jessica]

I agree that we need real stock assessments for all fisheries, not just snappers. But I also think the commercial guys have a fair gripe in being severely regulated while managers effectively ignore the sport sector. It just doesn't make any sense. As I said, this is a management problem. But what isn't?

[D2]

In Regards to your Dec. 3rd sorting table about the Gulf Snapper, I must say you missed the mark. I have just started commercial fishing and so my recreational roots are deep...but I keep an open mind to most things. As for the recreational limit being exceeded, it has EVERYTHING to do with bigger snapper out on the wrecks...as a youth, it wasn't uncommon to go and catch several snappers in the 10-15 lb range every trip...then came the lean times when the snappers were getting hammered by everyone, including shrimp trawls. The shrimp trawls were taking a HEAVY toll on everything from snapper, cobia, flounder and several other species. Then came Katrina...unfortuantely for the shrimpers, it knocked them out of the picture for quite some time. Now, amazingly, the snappers are back with a vengance. As we go out fishing now, you can't get to the bottom because of them. My Bottom machine looks like there's a fire on the bottom, rising up with the flames...when it's Red Snappers galore!!! We were in 60 feet of water and catching 8 lb snapper every drop...not getting even 1/2 way to the bottom...as we were bringing them to the boat, 15-20lb MONSTERS were trying to EAT them. We wound up catching Red Snappers on TOP WATER plugs!!! (Yes...I said TOP WATER) The NMFS needs to to a REAL stock assessment...not one blinded by flawed data which has been the case for several years now. EVERYONE knows it (Commercial and Rec alike.)