# Snapper Season on Gulf Council Agenda



## beacher (Dec 18, 2007)

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meets in Orange Beach April 11-14. They are going to be discussing the 2011 Red Snapper season. It sounds like they may be considering implementing a 2 month season in June and July, as well as a weekends only season going later into the year... 

What are you guys thought on this type of Red Snapper season?

Snapper Season on Gulf Council Agenda article


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## jdhkingfisher (Aug 6, 2010)

it should at least go to augusst, and i dont think its the recreaational people that hurt the population(which is crazy as it is) its the commercial fishing that decimates things. once agian, my opinion. welll see what happens


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## JimS (Oct 3, 2007)

*Fall Weekends*

I have my fingers crossed in the hope that they kept the fall weekend snapper season. I have an 18' boat and do not feel safe to go out in the Gulf. Having the fall season allows myself and all the other small boaters an opportunity to catch keep snapper in the bay.


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## beacher (Dec 18, 2007)

Looks like NOAA is considering increasing the Red Snapper Quota for the Gulf of Mexico...

http://www.orangebeach.ws/component...red-snapper-quotas-in-the-gulf-of-mexico.html


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## Chet88 (Feb 20, 2008)

Any news yet out of the meetings?


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## feelin' wright (Oct 7, 2007)

I like the idea of having a full two month season with a weekend only in the fall. We had a lot of success in the fall last year. A majority of rec anglers can only fish the weekends so I think it makes sense. 

I would not even mind having to purchase some tags to be able to catch red snapper during the week on the fall season. This would help the recreational anglers that cannot fish the weekends. The tags would only be needed if you are fishing the fall season and keeping red snapper during the week.


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## sig226 (Feb 7, 2011)

dont give them any ideas, no to tags


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## whome (Oct 2, 2007)

If Red Snapper were truly being overfished, then why are the commercial boats able to catch them to sell them?


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## SHunter (Jun 19, 2009)

Good question Capt. The answer is that the commercial fishing industry has a powerful lobby in the state and federal government. The middle man makes a killing off our fish that goes to Canada and elsewhere. I don't blame our local fishermen/women. The problem is higher up. Environmentalist have not caused all of this either.


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## JaxKat (Mar 21, 2011)

Was ant new info released from this meeting?


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## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

*2011 Red Snapper Season Numbers Make No Sense*

REPORT FROM THE GULF COUNCIL MEETING
Roy Crabtree informally speculated that the 2011 recreational red snapper season would last anywhere between *45 and 55 days*. 

How did Roy come up with these numbers?

If you look at the graph below, if we took the average of the previous 2 season regarding pounds of fish caught per day, you would see that we should be looking at a *100 day season this year*. Yet Roy has us scheduled to fish about 1/2 of that. I'll have to research how my figures came up with 74 days for the 2011 season on my previous analysis regarding Sector Separation/Status Quo. 

There was no supposed overage in 2010, so there is no reason to reduce our ACL at all, and in fact this should be raised by +_ 1,000,000 pounds from underfishing our quota last year. Roy previously stated that he could not add the extra fish into this year's allotment - strange, because he sure is quick to *DEDUCT *any fish whenever possible.

Dr. Crabtree has some splainin' to do. 

*WHEN IS SOMEONE GOING TO HOLD THIS GUY ACCOUNTABLE? *
*He just makes up figures as he goes.*

Capt. Thomas J. Hilton


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## Lyin Too (Aug 31, 2009)

Roy and his group dont care about you and me, we aint got together yet and greased his palm like the commercial fishermen do. And thats the bottom line.


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## FISHUNT7 (Jul 19, 2009)

*Snap*

I did a real quick calculation and I think I know how they came up with 45 days. First, don't average the two previous years catch because 20BP was not an average year. Use 2009's 38,552 lbs/day. Also, they have found that the fish are twice as big now. So what was a 4 lb average a couple of years ago is now an 8 lb average. 

So, 3,520,650 lbs divided by 38,552 lbs/day yields 91.3 days. But.... The snapper that people are bringing to the dock are twice as big now, so they can't use 38,552 lbs/day. Assuming the same number of fishermen/day, they have to use 77,104 lbs/day. Using that figure, 3,520,650 lbs divided by 77,104 lbs/day yields *45.6 days*.

Our TAC is increasing every year, but the size of the snapper is doing the same thing. The only way we will get an increase in our daily limit is if the TAC is increased significantly. Crabtree and his "experts" are working off of year old data so they always seem to be a year behind. Maybe next year we will see the significant increase in TAC that would allow our daily limit to go up. Using their figures, the Rec. TAC would have to increase to 4,700,000 lbs before we would get to fish the full months of June and July. Using the same figures, the Rec. TAC would have to increase to 7,000,000 lbs before they increase the daily limit from 2 fish to 3 fish. That would mean the overall TAC would be in excess of 14,000,000 lbs. Twice what it is today. 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but I am not holding my breath.


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## Tom Hilton (Oct 4, 2007)

*snapper season*

WHOA!! Big Boy

You made a *BIG* jump there that even *Roy and his Numbers Boy* can't even do.

According to NOAA Fisheries, the fish are getting larger, but at the following projected rates;
2011 - 5.60 pounds per fish
2012 - 5.95 pounds per fish
2013 - 6.30 pounds per fish
2014 - 6.65 pounds per fish
2015 - 7.00 pounds per fish

Remember, theese are not my numbers - they are NOAA Fisheries numbers.

Personally, I don't think rec fishermen should be constrained by the poundage...we are governed by daily bag limits which is numbers of fish. 

The commercial side is governed by poundage, which is also how they get paid.

If they were to make their regulations compatible with themselves, then it would actually be easier to manage - count how many fish each person caught and quit trying to estimate weight. Independent research (also independent of NMFS control) could show the health of the stocks if there was any concern regarding this approach.

Capt. Thomas J. Hilton


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## Sailor50 (Nov 8, 2007)

A good link for the results of the meeting

http://2coolfishing.net/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=338705


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## Matt09 (Jun 6, 2008)

Regardles of all the " numbers " and who-ha, every where anyone fishes will find snapper. Loads. 100 day season would be good. Should be all year.


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## Magic Mike (Jun 30, 2009)

Matt09 said:


> Regardles of all the " numbers " and who-ha, every where anyone fishes will find snapper. Loads. 100 day season would be good. Should be all year.


+1 :thumbsup:


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## Burnt Drag (Jun 3, 2008)

Anyone who thinks these seasons and limits have anything to do with conservation is sadly mistaken. It's all about control. They did the "Rahm Emanuel" thing, "Never let a good crisis go to waste." 
They chirped this "overfishing" word until everyone (including themselves) came to believe the fairy tale, then brought the hammer down. We've gone from a 7 snapper limit in early 1990s (year round) to 2 fish per person for 50 days. These fish ARE in danger. They are in danger of damaging the whole marine ecosystem by forcing out other species. This fisherey needs Mr. Crabtree and his agenda to find another job. He/they have no idea how many snapper are out there and they really don't care.


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## Sea-r-cy (Oct 3, 2007)

I'll vote for 2 snapper daily year around. After all, how many days in the late fall/winter months are calm enough to fish? Sea-r-cy


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## Bamagadbird (Mar 28, 2011)

As a diver, I've only witnessed the snapper population rise over the past years. I kinda miss the 4 per person limit. Just my opion.


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## Chet88 (Feb 20, 2008)

Any word on the fall weekend season again? I liked the Fri., Sat., Sun. additional season in Oct and Nov.


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## Chet88 (Feb 20, 2008)

Looks like they are considering adding 1 Mil pounds back to the Rec Quota this year in a Fall season. Another meeting April 25th. 

http://www.hubbardsmarina.com/fishnews.html


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## ClemsonTiger11 (Aug 12, 2010)

Someone on the forum was talking about a one month season this year. Any idea where this came from? 
Also, does anyone have the links to any SCIENTIFIC data regarding red snapper population and biology. I know they are long-lived and would theoretically take longer for the population to rebound. I am relatively new to the area and would love to become more educated on the situation. Last year was the first year I have fished and dove around here and there seemed to be plenty down there.


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