# 2013 Red Snapper Season to be even shorter than 2012



## kw1 (Feb 19, 2009)

I just received an email from NMFS and one of the sections was regarding the 2012 red snapper landings. It states that NMFS preliminary calculations indicate that the recreational harvest of red snapper again went over "their BS" quota this year. They are not increasing the quota next year as planned and I presume that we can look for an even shorter season in 2013. This, they blame on the increased average size of the red snapper landed. If you havent already done so at least 10 times please contact your senators and congressmen and urge them to give regulation of reef fish back to the states.


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## DI 310 (Jun 17, 2012)

Yes, I heard that. Stated at council meeting that 82% of TAC was caught in June. They did not have the numbers for July but they estimated we went over between 400,000- 800,000 lbs. Hard to believe since weather was terrible.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Just in case you haven't figured it out yet. It has absolutely nothing to do with actual scientific numbers, but rather all to do with their tree hugging radical agenda. They want to take the Recreational Fishermen and Women out of the picture and give the fish to the pay for play group and the Commercial people so they can put Unions over the catch and sales.


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## younghooker (Oct 7, 2007)

Please see the movie Obama's America 2016... it will explain alot of his anti business socialistic agenda that will kill the USA for our kids..  it even applies to our fishing !!


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## DI 310 (Jun 17, 2012)

I have asked NMFS to explain these numbers , but they have a long way to go before I would half way believe them. You are probably right they do not care about numbers , but I am not giving up.I have to much time and money invested to make me quit asking questions.Public comments got sector seperation tabled for a year. Do not give up now


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## 20simmons sea skiff (Aug 20, 2010)

dont forget where jane came from, I understand she worked with sam walton and one of the anti fishing groups when obama hired her to run noaa. when the oversight com called her, she didnt show up, said i dont answer to nobody but my king,obama


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

There aren't enough snapper, the snapper are too big, I mean heck it's never gonna end.


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## Fairwaterfishing (Mar 17, 2009)

Just wait till Louisiana goes non complaint in 2013, there will soon not even be a federal red snapper season! I give it about 2 more years at best.


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## bigrick (Sep 29, 2010)

Non complaince 2013!!!!


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Fairwaterfishing said:


> Just wait till Louisiana goes non complaint in 2013, there will soon not even be a federal red snapper season! I give it about 2 more years at best.


Yep. They'll claim LA and TX caught the TAC, so blame them.


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## gator7_5 (Oct 4, 2007)

Since these positions are appointed from the top, who has the power to change them. 

If Mitt wins in Nov, can NOAA's house be cleaned out and the agenda changed?


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## Contender (Apr 4, 2012)

The head of NOAA and NFMS are appointed and have to be approved by the Senate. There are quite a number of positions all across Govt that are appointed and it might take 18 months to fill all of them.

The councils are made up of a few NMFS types and mostly representatives that are appointed by the Governors. They try to balance membership among commercial, recreational and manufactures. Members serve terms. 

The next group and where a lot to most of the work gets done is with the panels. There are a bunch of them and I have yet to find out how to get on one. These panels work for the council and they report out on the assigned tasks at the Council meetings. BTW the next one is in MS in November. 

Having seen other similar organizations in action, the council is often put in a position to make a decision with less than ideal information and frequently tables the issue. Not saying this happens at the council meetings but would not be surprised.

All this information is available at the Gulf Council web site. 

I would say that they do listen. Sector separation is an example. Not sure what would have happened if so many folks didn't voice their opinion but the fact remains that hundreds of individuals responded and said they were opposed as well as CCA and RFA which represent almost 200,000 people. 

The die may be cast on a number of issues and it may do no good to engage, however, I can absolutely assure you that if we as fishermen and sportsman don't voice our opinions and get involved someone else's voice may be the one heard and we may not like the outcome.

I hope I can go to the council meeting in November.


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

Better get use to fishing outside of the stated "NOAA Ruling". As Fairwater said, It's coming to an end. The snapper are just the beginning though. It's gonna get a lot worse.


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

You can go to all the meetings, write all the Whoever's, Protest and bitch all we want. It won't make the slightest difference. NOAA has an agenda and they are slipping it in a little at a time.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

It's not NOAA's agenda, but the person/people in charge of NOAA currently. If we just give up now, then no they won't get replaced or change the way they are currently operating.


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## bigrick (Sep 29, 2010)

The government hasn't given a shit about the people in over 100 years, only about profits. Get used to it, the older I get the more I realize that what I say really doesn't matter a whole lot. When powerful people want something, they get it, I just wished americans could think for themselves instead of letting whats on TV brainwash them. I'm no conspiracy theory hippy, but to say that a small group control everything wouldn't be streching the truth. . When I don't agree with a law, I just break it.....


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## kw1 (Feb 19, 2009)

This is not a hiden agenda it is a stated goal of NMFS. 
By 2020, angler satisfaction is derived from the recreational fishing experience rather than the take or “kill” fish. Reference: 
"The Future of US Marine Fisheries - Final Report of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee" by the US Dept of Commerce/NOAA 
They don't mind us fishing they just don't want us to keep anything.


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## DI 310 (Jun 17, 2012)

Hopefully, in the near future each gulf coast state can manage reef fish. Dr.Shipp has brought this up and maybe it will be looked at. The states do a good job managing inshore fish. Seems to me there a lot more people that fish inshore than off shore. I was thinking about this the other day and I realized I can legally kill more deer in Alabama than I can catch snapper. How crazy is that


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## gator7_5 (Oct 4, 2007)

Holy shit. kw1 is right. Here's a rec excerpt:


*Current Situation: *
​The current rate of increase in the angling population creates new management concerns. If the rate of recreational fishermen continues to increase at 3 percent per annum, by 2020 the number of recreational fishermen will increase by 7.3 million to a projected level of 18.5 million. This change will result in a significant increase of fishing effort and catch (i.e., mortality), all else equal. By 2020 continued growth in recreational angling will require that anglers focus more on the fishing experience and less on the number of fish landed. However, while post-release mortality in catch and release fisheries is usually low (often 2-5 percent), as fishing effort increases, post-release mortality will become an increasing proportion of total mortality. *It is conceivable that the cumulative total of post-release mortality could increase to levels equal to the total allowable mortality for a fishery.* As the number of recreational fishermen continues to increase, improved monitoring will be necessary to assess the fishing effort and catch. A national saltwater angler’s registry under development will be a necessary tool to collect data. 

*Preferred State in 2020: *​

​Many recreational species have limited population growth rates and are too valuable to be caught only once. By 2020, catch and release fishing is emphasized and accounted for in specific species assessments. The proper techniques for release are refined and disseminated to lower post release mortality. For other fisheries, minimum size limits and reduced daily bag limits are sufficient management measures to maintain healthy standing stocks. Additional seasonal closures are considered to eliminate or redirect effort. By 2020, angler satisfaction is derived from the recreational fishing experience rather than the take or "kill" fish. To achieve optimum yield, adaptive management measures such as a temporary reallocation of quota is available to managers. For example, if commercial quota is not harvested, managers are able to temporarily 
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reassign the under harvested quota to provide additional recreational opportunity, and vice versa. 
*Proposed Actions to Accomplish Preferred State: *
(a) Improve collection of recreational catch, release, and harvest data, 
(b) Create and use the recreational angler registry. 
(c) Continue to promote catch and release fisheries, 
(d) Reduce daily bag limits and implement minimum or maximum size limits when necessary for those fish stocks where resorting to total catch and release is not necessary, 
(e) Promote research to accurately quantify and minimize post release mortality, 
(f) Increase the length of seasonal closures when necessary and encourage the recreational community to maximize the profitability of open seasons, 
(g) Amend fishery management plans to allow for timely conversion of unused commercial allocation to the recreational sector and vice versa; 
(h) Implement a variety of programs and incentives to enhance the conservation ethic of recreational anglers. 
*Proposed Entity(s) to Promote Actions: *
(a) The leadership of the recreational fishing community should promote the total recreational fishing experience, instill a conservation ethic, and de-emphasize landings. 
(b) Industry and NOAA Fisheries should continue to support research and technology designed to reduce post release mortality. 
(c) Management (councils, commissions, NOAA Fisheries) should consider extending closed seasons to reduce mortality. ​

(d) Management, (councils, commissions, NOAA Fisheries), should amend fishery management plans to allow, when appropriate, the conversion of commercial quota onto recreational quota and vice versa. ​ 

http://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/2010/fishing_vessel/background/MFAC%20Final%20Report%202007-Vision%202020.pdf​


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## Contender (Apr 4, 2012)

Here is a link to the voting council members.

http://www.gulfcouncil.org/about/fishery_council_members.php#councilmembers

NOAA has one voting member. Each state (except FL) has 2 members appointed by the state government plus a voting member from the state wildlife agency. Florida has 3 members. 

Their phone numbers and emails of each of these people is on the site. Let them know how you feel. Data is important. What alternatives or ideas would you offer the council?

Having a plan in mind before you write or call is more effective than calling up angry and saying ARS season is too short. How long does it take to get a limit now versus 5 years ago? How many shorts do you catch? What contribution does your fishing habit make towards the economy? How many more trips would you make if the season was longer and therefore how much more of a positive economic impact would that make?

A thoughtful, well written, clearly articulated email or letter will carry more weight than and angry rant. May not feel as good, but will work better.

Later


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