Rubio’s Florida Fisheries Improvement Act updates federal fisheries laws impacting the nations ocean’s fishery resources and the people whose livelihoods depend on them like this Florida shrimper. Photo: NOAA
by Ed Lallo/Gulf Seafood News Editor
In response to an op-ed article in the Tampa Bay Times critical of new fishery legislation recently introduced by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) on grounds it would hurt fishermen and jeopardize fishery sustainability, the Gulf Seafood Institute’s (GSI) executive director Margaret Henderson applauded the Senator’s courage in taking a strong stand on key issues that must be addressed during a time when getting traction in Washington, D.C. on anything at all, let alone fisheries policy, can be an uphill battle.
Rubio’s Florida Fisheries Improvement Act updates federal fisheries laws impacting the nations ocean’s fishery resources and the people whose livelihoods depend on them.
Glen Brook said in the article he was “disappointed to see Sen. Marco Rubio introduce legislation last week that is going to hurt my business.” Photo: Gulf Wild
“Of extreme importance is language in this bill that addresses the uniquely mixed nature of fishery stakeholders in the Gulf – including commercial, charter and recreational fishermen – and ensures all groups are afforded an equitable opportunity to be nominated to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council,” explained Henderson whose organization represents the entire seafood supply chain across all five Gulf coast states, including Florida.
Glen Brook, a Florida fisherman and president of the Gulf Fishermen’s Association and a member of the board of directors of Gulf Wild, said in the article he was “disappointed to see Sen. Marco Rubio introduce legislation last week that is going to hurt my business.”
According to Brook, the legislations that calls for “more flexibility” in setting rebuilding timelines for fisheries would actually take more fish out of the ocean today would be sustainable placing future fisheries at risk. “Florida’s commercial fishermen have worked hard to help stocks like red snapper and red grouper recover, and we won’t stand by while our work is unraveled,” he said.
Bill Addresses Gulf Fishery Issues
Of extreme importance is language in this bill that addresses the uniquely mixed nature of fishery stakeholders in the Gulf,” explained Henderson. Photo: Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink
According to Henderson, another key provision would require the federal government to make a determination on federal fishery disasters within 90 days of receiving information from a state. “This is a reasonably ambitious timeline that is of huge importance to our fishing communities, particularly in light of recent disasters like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the drought impacting Apalachicola Bay’s oyster population, and the multitude of hurricanes that have terrorized our fishing communities in recent years,” she explained.
In a letter penned to the Tampa Bay Times editorial staff, Henderson said requiring the Secretary of Commerce to work to better prioritize stock assessments is also of great importance. “This provision is one key component of an overall strategy to make certain our federal resources are better focused on assessing the health of our nation’s most important fisheries, like Gulf red snapper, so that we can strike a reasonable balance between resource conservation and continued access for both commercial and recreational fishermen,” she said.
According the GSI’s executive director the legislation could have gone further on a number of issues, especially providing specific funding authorizations for electronic data collection in the Gulf of Mexico charter-for-hire community.
According to Brook, Rubio’s legislations that calls for “more flexibility” in setting rebuilding timelines for fisheries would actually take more fish out of the ocean today would be sustainable placing future fisheries at risk. Photo: Sen. Rubio
“I am confident this bill is a substantial first step in the right direction,” said Henderson about the law that outlines Florida’s priorities for the upcoming reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the nations federal fisheries law. “Senator Rubio and the majority of his colleagues have been transparent and open throughout this entire legislative process, seeking input from all sectors of Florida’s fishing industry. GSI and our stakeholders have always had a voice in this process, and with Senator Rubio’s help, we look forward to bolstering and improving federal fisheries management now and into the future.”
In his op-ed article Brooks agreed with many of the points promoted by GSI. “To the senator’s credit, there are some parts of this bill that will actually help fishermen in the short and long term,” he said. “We need to stop assessing fish stocks every three-five years (or longer) and start assessing them every year. And we need Congress to secure the funding to do this. I’m also glad to see the requirement to maintain balance of commercial and recreational fishermen on the Gulf Council. And I agree that there should be more accountability and transparency with the Gulf Council and other measures.”
I have a had time understanding why all I here about is red snapper? while i agree red snapper are and important species in our Gulf fishery it need to be clear this is a fish only a few rec anglers can afford to target! personally I’m much more concerned as to why the red snapper consumer pays about $11 per pond to an allocation owner? why can anyone not producing the fish get to benefit at the cost of consumers? also with no gain to fish or fishery?
Red snapper dominate the press; why? it takes an expensive rig and hundreds of dollars per tip in fuel, bait, ice, etc…;to target red snapper safely. If working folks get to go it’s on a for hire rig. I understand exactly why these businesses are being shut out because of states doing their own seasons. this prohibits For hire trips!
we need to fix this mess. we also need to promote the mackerel fishery that has recovered and is now actually under fished by rec sectors! please take advantage of what is available to millions more fishermen! compare numbers that can mackerel fish vs red snapper? let’s enjoy these abundant, tasty fish. thank you. Van Hubbard P S I don’t red snapper fish; can’t afford it. But it hurts when I buy one throwing $11 per pound into an investors pocket! This is not fishery management it is manipulation for profit.
What’s wrong with fishery management? Go read Chapter 17 of Agenda 21. American fisheries are now managed as per Agenda 21. Refuse to believe it, fine. Go read the 1996 Sustainable Fishing Act. Where did the Marine Protected Areas come from? Where did the License Limitation plans come from? Where did the Allocation Systems (Catch Shares) come from? Where did the ACL’s and other “Precautionary Principal” based management come from (see Agenda 21,Rio Declaration, Item 15) ? Where did the Office of Sustainable Fishing come from? Where did the “Visioning Sessions” come from? What exactly is the definition of “Sustainability”? See: Sustainable Development, the UN’s Plan for the 21st Century.
American fisheries must be managed as per American principals, not by some Marxist, anti-capitalism, UN based re-distribution of wealth scheme.