On January 13, 1999, the Gulf of Mexico Federal Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) will take action on new regulations to reduce take of Gulf gag grouper.

"The Council's last set of regulations resulted in a very substantial 54% reduction in recreational landings and absolutely no reduction on commercial take," said CCA Florida Executive Director Ted Forsgren. "It is now time for the Council to adopt some effective controls on the commercial industry."

Gag grouper in the Gulf have been designated as a fish stock that is approaching an overfished condition. Such designation is used when stock assessments and other information estimate that the stock will become overfished within two years. The designation requires the Gulf Council to take action, within one year, to implement rules to prevent overfishing from occurring. Some of the proposed regulations are more substantial restrictions on recreational anglers including another bag limit reduction from five fish to two and increasing minimum size from 20 inches to 24 inches.

Analysis of landings information graphically illustrates the dramatic reduction in recreational landings that has already occurred, while there has been no reduction in commercial take. (See attached graph.)

"We do not support further restrictions on recreational anglers. New restrictions should be directed only at commercial take," said Forsgren.

CCA Florida is urging the Gulf Council to establish a five month closure to commercial take and prohibition of sale during the winter/spring spawning aggregation months (recreational bag limit would continue during commercial no-take/no-sale months). A five-month commercial closure would have less impact on commercial landings than the 54% reduction already imposed on the recreational fishery.

Forsgren pointed out that just as with amberjack, shark and several other species, federal fishery management plans for gulf gag grouper have caused major reductions in recreational take while having no impact on, or actually increasing, commercial landings. The regulations have not provided sufficient resource protection; they have simply allowed the commercial fishery to take a greater portion of the fishery.

"Commercial quotas will not work," said Forsgren. "A long closure for commercial take and prohibition of sale during the spawning aggregation period is the only effective way to limit the commercial fishery."

CCA Florida stated that the commercial quota established in 1990 on shallow water groupers (reds/gags) has not aided resource recovery. The fact that there has never been enough commercial grouper landings reported to reach the quota makes the whole quota program suspect. A 1986 Texas study indicated that the establishment of commercial quotas resulted in an increase in under-reporting of commercial landings. In the four years prior to establishing the commercial quota of 8.2 million pounds, reported commercial landings exceeded that amount in three of those four years. Yet, in the seven years following the establishment of the quota, not enough commercial landings have been reported to reach the quota.

Some people are supporting offshore area closures to protect known spawning aggregation areas. However, Forsgren stated, "those measures can only be effective if commercial take and sale is simultaneously prohibited in the entire region. There is not now, nor is there likely to be in the future, enough state or federal fisheries enforcement resources to enforce a distant offshore closed area." A VMS (vessel monitoring system) would not stop poachers because they would not have VMS on their boats. Poachers would simply fish in the closed areas and then land or off-load to other boats.

"Recreational fishers have already stepped forward to protect gag grouper with a 54% reduction in take, but the commercial industry has not," said Forsgren. "The council must now act to implement equal reductions on commercial fishers to provide the necessary added protection for gag grouper."

CCA Florida urges all recreational anglers and other conservationists to contact the Gulf Council and urge them to adopt a five-month spawning season closure on commercial take with a prohibition on sale during the commercial closed season.