The Gulf Seafood Institute has joined representatives from across the national seafood supply chain to continue educating key Members of Congress on the importance of preserving federal management of the commercial and charter-for-hire red snapper fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. Photo: Ariel Seafoods
by Ed Lallo/Gulf Seafood News Editor
With the first session of the 114th Congress in full swing, members of the Gulf Seafood Institute (GSI) have joined representatives from across the national seafood supply chain to continue educating key Members of Congress on the importance of preserving federal management of the commercial and charter-for-hire red snapper fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. These efforts are increasingly important as some members of Congress consider various measures designed to make sweeping changes to the management of this iconic American seafood species.
Louisiana Senator David Vitter (l) and Bayou State freshman Representative Garrett Graves are currently working on bills proposing state management of Gulf Red Snapper. Photo: U.S. Congress & Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink
As representatives from GSI conducted meetings on Capitol Hill last week, the Bayou State’s freshman Representative Garrett Graves (R-LA) introduced legislation to establish a Gulf States Red Snapper Management Authority (GSRSMA) to manage the entire Gulf red snapper fishery. Senator David Vitter (R-LA) is currently working on a companion bill to be introduced in the Senate.
The legislation would remove red snapper from the transparent federal reef fish management plan currently overseen by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council under authority from the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). This strategy would essentially turn key management decisions over to the five Gulf states.
“We are very concerned about proposed legislation allowing state management of the Gulf red snapper fishery,” said Harlon Pearce, GSI president. “The reality is that the process established under the Magnuson Stevens Act is working for the commercial and federally-permitted charter components.” Photo: Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink
“We are very concerned about proposed legislation allowing state management of the Gulf red snapper fishery,” said Harlon Pearce, GSI president. “The reality is that the process established under the Magnuson Stevens Act is working for the commercial and federally-permitted charter components. We have always felt that removing the fishery from its current status would do irreparable harm to the Gulf’s vibrant commercial fishing community, as well as cause the disappearance of the popular fish from millions of family and restaurant tables across America.”
Per Graves’ legislation, the five-member GSRSMA would be comprised solely of the Gulf State marine resource agency directors. The new agency would review and approve all Gulf red snapper fishery management plans, as well as provide standards for each Gulf coastal State to use in developing fishery management measures to sustainably manage Gulf of Mexico red snapper in the coastal waters adjacent to such State.
Red snapper fishery management plans submitted by Gulf states would be required to contain standards and procedures for the long-term sustainability of Gulf of Mexico red snapper based on the best available science. The five directors would determine quotas for the red snapper fishery in the coastal waters adjacent to such Gulf coastal state or states based on stock assessments.
Any recommendation by the GSRSMA to reduce quota apportioned to the commercial sector by more than 10 percent would require review and approval by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. Current individual quotas for the commercial sector would remain in place for three years, yet the recently established snapper quota given to federally-permitted charter-for-hire fishermen would not be recognized, a significant oversight which is giving charter captains serious heartburn.
“The Charter Fisherman’s Association is adamantly opposed to the proposed state management schemes currently in congress,” said Shane Cantrell, the organization’s Executive Director. “We are in the process of implementing electronic monitoring and reporting for not only red snapper, but other Gulf fisheries as well. More than 70% of gulf red snapper being harvested is accountable or on the path to accountability, making it one of the most sustainable fisheries in the Gulf as well as the U.S.”
Organizations Opposed to State Management
Commercial and charter fishermen in the Gulf want to continue to be managed by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the protections of MSA. Gulf states may be in a good position to manage the private angler sector, but face overcoming the problem of implementing an accountable, transparent, and sustainable management plan that adheres to the conservation and rebuilding requirements of federal law.
“The Shareholders’ Alliance is strongly opposed to this and any other similar-looking legislative attempts to strip fishery management authority and responsibility away from NMFS and hand it over to the Gulf States,” said the Shareholders’ Alliance Executive Director Buddy Guindon. Photo: Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink
Opposition to state control also comes from the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance representing commercial red snapper fishermen from Galveston, Texas to Madeira Beach, Florida.
“The Shareholders’ Alliance is strongly opposed to this and any other similar-looking legislative attempts to strip fishery management authority and responsibility away from NMFS and hand it over to the Gulf States,” said the organization’s Executive Director Buddy Guindon. “Especially if doing so would provide a loophole where states can evade the critical conservation and rebuilding requirements of Magnuson. This sidestepping of federal law is a dangerous precedent and is opposed by more than 40 commercial fishing organizations from throughout the nation who signed a letter of solidarity.”
For the past few years, the Gulf Council has been working on a state management plan, Amendment 39, that’s currently about to enter its second public input phase. According to Brazer, Amendment 39 is the vehicle for states to manage the private angler sector.
“A good option for management of the recreational red snapper fishery is the Gulf Council’s Amendment 39, Regional Management,” said GSI Mississippi board member Corky Perret who has served on the Gulf Council. Photo: Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink
“A good option for management of the recreational red snapper fishery is the Gulf Council’s Amendment 39, Regional Management,” said GSI Mississippi board member Corky Perret who has served on the Gulf Council. “This option would allow each Gulf state to manage their recreational fishery in their state waters, thus providing management measures best suited to their state’s anglers. A major challenge, however, is reaching a fair allocation for each state and ensuring that each state’s conservation measures are followed so that overharvesting, which could jeopardize the overall health of the red snapper stock, does not occur.”
In order to ensure that the commercial and federally-permitted charter-for-hire components of the Gulf red snapper fishery remain under federal jurisdiction, GSI is forming a national coalition of harvesters, supply chain representatives, retailers and restaurateurs nationwide who are united by the idea that Gulf red snapper must remain accessible to all Americans, not just those who own their own boats.
“GSI is working with national groups representing the entire seafood supply chain in an effort to educate policy makers about the importance of preserving federal management of the commercial and federally-permitted charter fishing communities in the Gulf,” said GSI’s Executive Director Margaret Henderson. “Federal management of these two sectors is imperative to protecting the sustainability of the species as well as to preserving Americans’ access to red snapper nationwide. Members of Congress must understand that red snapper isn’t just a Gulf coast issue – this is going to impact consumers from California to New York and everywhere in between.”
“In addition to being bad policy for the red snapper fishery, this legislation would undermine the entire Magnuson Stevens framework, recognized globally as the gold standard for sustainable fisheries management,” National Fisheries Institute President John Connelly. Photo: NFI
GSI and its partners know that turning the commercial and federal charter-for-hire red snapper fisheries over to the Gulf states threatens to undermine important federal fisheries laws and sidestep critical conservation protections.
“In addition to being bad policy for the red snapper fishery, this legislation would undermine the entire Magnuson Stevens framework, recognized globally as the gold standard for sustainable fisheries management,” National Fisheries Institute President John Connelly told Gulf Seafood News.
Sustainable Fishing Limits
MSA requires sustainable fishing limits be identified and adhered to, conservation promoted and unhealthy fish stocks rebuilt to healthy levels. These protections have been responsible for bringing red snapper back to its current high levels.
According to Margaret Henderson, GSI and other organizations who support the MSA process for the Gulf’s commercial and charter-for-hire red snapper fisheries are being painted as “not willing to compromise”. Photo: Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink
“This is nothing more than a fish grab designed at robbing the American consumer of access to Gulf red snapper,” said Guindon. “The proposed legislation does little to solve the recreational fishery management problems. We have successfully rebuilt the red snapper fishery under federal management, why would you want change that management to an organization that has no plan to manage the fishery?”
According to Henderson, GSI and other organizations who support the MSA process for the Gulf’s commercial and charter-for-hire red snapper fisheries are being painted as “not willing to compromise”.
“We need to make it clear that this is not an issue of “compromise” because the federal system works,” explained Henderson on why there is little room for negotiation on this legislation. “We want to work with Congress on finding a way for the Gulf States to sustainably manage only private anglers, while not impacting the successful federal management of the commercial and charter-for-hire sectors. Striking this balance in a way that preserves important federal sustainability requirements and does not lead to drastic reductions in federal quotas has so far proved very difficult.”
Keep up the fight. As a federally permitted commercial and charter captain we need to be heard loud and clear. If you want a good example of how louisiana refuses to enforce the law of 3 miles make a trip on any given day and you will see numerous recreational fisherman 20 to 40 miles out fishing for and retaining red snapper. And if not stopped offshore it’s free game once inside the imaginary 9 mile line. I have spoken with both state and federal law enforcement officers and they refuse to enforce the law. Now how is that management of a resource? ? The writing is on the wall it’s hard for fisherman to find fish close due to over fishing so they are moving out further and further soon there won’t be any red snapper if someone doesn’t do something and soon.