The Coastal Conservation Association of Florida blasted the new interim regulations imposed by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on recreational grouper fishermen in the Gulf.

"The feds just tossed the State of Florida's recommendation into the trash," said Ted Forsgren, CCA Florida Executive Director. "Their action is irresponsible and arrogant."

"The major problem in Gulf red grouper management has been, and still is, the commercial fishery which takes more than 80% of the total landings," said Forsgren. The federal management scheme allocates more red grouper to 25 commercial longline boats than the amount allocated to all the recreational fishers in the entire Gulf of Mexico.

"It is unbelievable that the feds would force recreational anglers to a one fish red grouper limit and prohibit recreational fishing for all Gulf grouper for two months while allowing commercial longline boats to take ten thousand pounds at a time," said Forsgren.

For many years CCA Florida and recreational anglers have supported conservation measures and recreational take reductions to protect and restore gag and red grouper stocks even when commercial take was not similarly reduced. A CCA Florida analysis of Gulf grouper landings before and after federal regulations indicated that the cumulative impact of 11 years of Gulf gag grouper regulations caused the annual recreational landings, after federal regulations, to be reduced by an average of 42 percent.

Commercial landings were not reduced at all. In fact, after federal regulations were enacted, average annual commercial landings of gag grouper actually increased and hindered the recovery.
This latest federal action was generated because of a bizarre and unprecedented increase in the "estimated" recreational catch in 2004. The validity of the 2004 estimate has been questioned. The estimate becomes more suspect when you consider that Florida's fishing activity was impacted by a record four major hurricanes in 2004.

The Gulf red and gag grouper fisheries exist almost exclusively off of the State of Florida. As a result, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is a major part of the management process. The FWC became actively involved in the issue and urged the feds to hold public hearings in Florida. Hundreds of recreational anglers, charter boat captains and other recreational industry interests attended the Florida hearings to oppose the federal plan. The primary concern was imposing huge and unwarranted economic damage based on a single bizarre increase in the estimated catch in one year.

The FWC analyzed the federal fisheries information, received testimony from NMFS, and developed an alternative recommendation. In their June 24, 2005 letter, the FWC urged the feds to just reduce the current 2 fish red grouper recreational bag limit, which had just been reduced from 5, to a 1 fish limit with no season closures. The Commission indicated that their proposal "will accomplish an appropriate and measured response to the situation" and stated that they would immediately enact concurring regulations in all state waters if the feds adopted their recommendation.

The federal fisheries service simply rejected the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recommendation.

"The federal action is a massive blunder," said Forsgren. "In a single decision they have totally disregarded and alienated the agencies and interests that they need in order to have a successful Gulf grouper management plan."

CCA FLORIDA COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS - JUNE 13, 2005:
FEDERAL PROPOSAL ON RECREATIONAL TAKE OF GULF GROUPER