The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has decided to modify its "preferred" alternatives to remove a proposed four-month gag grouper closure on recreational anglers as part of a red grouper recovery plan.

"There is simply no legitimate reason to include a gag grouper closure on recreational fishers in the red grouper recovery efforts," said CCA Florida Executive Director Ted Forsgren. "Gulf red grouper stocks have been hammered into an overfished condition by the commercial longline fleet not recreational fishers."

That same message was heard last week again and again from a crowd of more than 200 who attended the Gulf Council's hearing in Destin. CCA Florida members, other recreational anglers, charter boat captains, charter boat associations, fishing clubs and chambers of commerce representatives from west central Florida through the Panhandle attended and testified in opposition to the proposed closure on gag grouper. The comments by recreational interests were bolstered by written comments from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission which also opposed the gag grouper closure on anglers.

CCA Florida presented an analysis of Gulf grouper landings before and after federal regulations which clearly indicated that the Council's past actions toward recreational fishermen in gag grouper management have been horribly inequitable. The cumulative impact of 11 years of Gulf Council gag grouper regulations have caused the average annual recreational landings, after federal regulations, to be reduced by a whopping 42%. Commercial landings have not been reduced at all. In fact, after enacting federal regulations, average annual commercial landings have increased by 7%.

In addition, the CCA noted that conservation of gag grouper is not an issue because a recent stock assessment indicates that, thanks to the greatly reduced take by recreational fishers, gag grouper are no longer overfished.

As part of a mandatory effort to stop overfishing and restore depleted red grouper stocks in the Gulf, the Council is proposing regulations to reduce both commercial and recreational takes of red grouper by 45%. For the commercial side, the Council is proposing to prohibit longlining in waters less than 50 fathoms deep. In recent years, the commercial industry took 75% of the total Gulf red grouper landings and commercial longlines take 66% of the commercial total.

For the recreational side, the Council had previously selected a four-month closure (August - November) on red and gag grouper. However, as a result of the public outcry they changed the "preferred" alternative by eliminating the closures on gag and black grouper and, instead, are proposing a one fish bag limit with a July closure on red grouper only for recreational fishers.

Also, as requested by CCA Florida, the Council will examine a red grouper two fish bag limit with a minimum size increase from 20 to 22 inches as an option for recreational fishers.

"The Gulf Council needs to remain focused on the real problem in the red grouper fishery, the commercial longline fleet," said CCA's Forsgren. "After the overwhelming bias shown by past Council actions, throwing in a four month gag closure as part of the red grouper recovery plan was simply unbelievable. Florida's recreational fishers have already done more than their fair share."

Final Council action on the red grouper recovery plan is scheduled for the week of July 8 in Sarasota. CCA Florida urges all concerned recreational fishers to continue to monitor the issue and send their comments to the Gulf Council.

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
Phone (813) 228-2815
Fax (813) 225-7015
Email - gulfcouncil@gulfcouncil.org