again in the near future without a leg- islative fix to prevent it.” The delayed closure was the result
of Amendment 17A to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper- Grouper Fishery, and was based on a 2008 stock assessment. That assessment indicated that snapper stocks were so overfished that in order to end over- fishing of the stock, managers had to prohibit all bottom fishing in a massive area to avoid red snapper mortality even as bycatch. The fishery became the center of a firestorm of discontent over federal fisheries management as it became apparent that not only had a profound lack of science on red snap- per allowed the fishery to reach a crisis point but that NOAA was grossly unprepared to implement tough new federal conservation laws by any tool other than the most draconian manage- ment measures available, such as total fishing closures. In response to the crisis, the Fishery Conservation Transition Act (FCTA) was introduced earlier this year to give federal marine fisheries managers the time, resources and more specific direc- tion necessary to address the chronic deficiencies in data collection and sci- ence that have plagued federal fisheries
like red snapper. FCTAwas introduced by bi-partisan Members of the U.S. Senate and House. Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and David Vitter (R-La.) are co-sponsoring the Senate bill (S.3594). The House bill (H.R.6316) is co-authored by Con- gressional Sportsmen’s Caucus co- chairmen Reps. Dan Boren (D-Okla.); Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.); Mike Ross (D- Ark.), and Jeff Miller (R-Fla.). Other co- sponsors of the House measure include Reps. Rodney Alexander (R-La.); Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam); Henry Brown (R-S.C.); Rob Wittman (R-Va.), and Don Young (R-Alaska). FCTA is supported by CCA, American Spor- tfishing Association, The Billfish Foundation, Center for Coastal Con- servation, Congressional Sportsman Foundation, International Game Fish Association, National Marine Manu- facturers Association and others. “This entire episode has been trau-
matic for anglers and the businesses that depend on them all along the South Atlantic coast. The supposed best science that we had two years ago nearly shut down the entire South Atlantic to bottom fishing, and today it appears we don’t need that. Yet we still have a closed red snapper fishery and a
great deal of confusion and mistrust in the recreational angling community,” said Brewer. “No other wildlife resources are managed in such a hap- hazard manner. We need FCTA to maintain our conservation principles while addressing the chronic lack of basic information in marine fisheries management. We don’t need another train wreck like this one.”
CCA calls for halt on gag grouper rules
Coastal Conservation Association is calling on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to halt implementation of a temporary rule closing the recreational gag grouper fishery in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico until significant errors discovered in the stock assessment have been corrected. The six-month closure announced by NOAA is set to go into effect January 1, 2011. “The stock assessment on which this
rule is based has been shown to have errors, by an order of magnitude, in the amount of commercial discards, and additional errors in estimates of recre- ational discards,” said Chester Brewer, chairman CCA’s National Government Relations Committee. “A revision of
If you enjoy catching any of these fish, join CCAnow.
C
OASTAL CONSERVATION ASSO- CIATION’S chapters in the Gulf, Atlantic, and the Pacific Northwest states have worked hard every day to improve our nation’s coastal fisheries and the marine environment.
JOIN CCAnow, so that these fish will be available to you and to future generations. Your support can make a difference. 800-201-3474
www.joincca.org TIDE
COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION NAME
ADDRESS I CITY PHONE VISA/MC AMEX DISCOVER
Regular CCA membership, which includes membership card, window decal, 2 bumper stickers, and subscription to TIDE magazine, is $25 annually. NEW TIDE, for ages 17 and younger, is $10 annually and includes The Rising Tide newsletter, NEW TIDE logo, redfish and trout stickers, and an iron-on T-shirt transfer. Indicate credit card or send check or money order to: CCA, 6919 Portwest Dr., Ste 100, Houston,TX 77024.
www.joincca.org 51 E-MAIL STATE ZIP
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