SEAFOOD.COM NEWS (John Sackton) โ February 6, 2014 โ A fish grab is underway in the Gulf, as recreational interests have mounted a fierce campaign over amendment 28 to the red snapper fishery.
The Gulf council is voting this week โ and most options on the table involve taking some of the commercial quota and reallocating it to recreational fishermen.
The problem is that this is only feasible because the commercial sector got its act together, developed a limited access fishery, and since 2007 has consistently fished below its allocation. Meanwhile, the recreational charter fishery has been managed by a shrinking number of days open, and at the same time has exceeded their planned allocation consistently year after year.
Now the council is being asked to take fish from the responsible commercial sector, and give it to the recreational sector.
The reef fish committee voted on Tuesday to pick alternative 5 as their preferred alternative.
This would take any TAC above 9.12 million pounds and divide it 75% recreational 25% commercial. The TAC is currently at around 11 million pounds, so this would take nearly half a million pounds (488,800) away from the commercial fishery immediately.
The full Council is voting this afternoon, and could either follow the committee, or pick another plan. The process would dictate that they move to public hearings after they vote their preferred alternative
The reallocation move would lead to widespread commercial losses as red snapper would become less available to the restaurants and tourist spots on the Gulf. If the reef fish committee alternative stands, commercial fishermen will be penalized for acting responsibly, while the recreational sector is rewarded for exceeding their quotas.
Red drum is an example of a fish that used to be commercially available, but was taken 100% for sport fishing. Prior to 1988, commercial gillnetters in the Gulf took about 28% of the annual landings, with 72% going to the recreational fishery. Most commercial fishing was closed since then and the stock has rebuilt. However, in 2007 Pres George Bush signed an executive order in response to lobbying from the recreational fishing groups, making red drum exclusively a game fish.
As a result, wild caught drum is not virtually unavailable on menus, although some farmed species are available.
Red snapper has a much larger population โ but no commercial fishery can be built for the long term if those who come together to rebuild the stock through limited fishing and excersize of responsible fishing rights, find their efforts overturned as soon as they are successful.
There are alocation question that arise, but decisions about these must be made by a council that fully supports the rebuilding of the stock that has been achieved by the commercial industry.
Currently commercial fisherman can take 51% of the quota, and recreational fisherman get 49%. If the reef committee plan is adopted, it would immediately take 488,000 lbs away from the commercial sector, reducing their share to 47%, and giving 53% to recreational fishermen.
This will impact tourism in the Gulf. For example, Destin, Alabama is known for its local seafood; especially their red snapper.
"The public is used to having the snapper, and we have a tremendous demand and we don't want to lose that,โ said David Krebs, Owner of Ariel Seafoods in Destin told WJHG โ channel 7 in Destin.
This week, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is discussing possible changes to the amount of red snapper caught.
Dewey Destin says his Harborside Restaurant cooks between 700 to 800 pounds of red snapper a week during the summer months.
"To take it away from the commercial fisherman who supply the restaurants and seafood markets is not only something against tradition, it is going against the fairness of everybody in the country being able to enjoy the fresh, local fish,โ said Destin.
Both Destin and Krebs have lobbied Congress on the issue, and say they plan to return to Washington next week.
This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It has been reprinted with permission.