Grouper Fishing to be Stopped in 2009
Tuesday September 30, 2008
Here is a press release from the Southeast Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) regarding Amendment 16 to their management plan that will essentially close grouper fishing in 2009 from North Carolina through the Florida Keys.
- The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council gave final approval to Amendment 16 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan during its meeting in Charleston, South Carolina this past week. The amendment includes measures to end overfishing of gag grouper and vermilion snapper, including a 4-month spawning season closure for gag and shallow water grouper, reductions in bag limits, commercial quotas, and other measures.
What this essentially means is that grouper fishing in state and federal waters from North Carolina to the Florida Keys will be closed from January 2009 through April 2009 with council having the authority to exercise an option to extend the closure for an additional 180 days pending further data analysis.
This is the hammer we have all been waiting on and it has finally fallen. There are arguments on both sides of the aisle - commercial and recreational - about the merits of this decision - it affects all of us. You can read the entire release at the SAFMC Website.
Comments
nice catch you really kicked ass out there. fishing is my sport
what a misleading title, had me going for a second there.. spawning season closures are OK by me.. letting them breed to maintain a productive fishery, i don’t see the problem
Actually, the title is pretty accurate. A four month closure is definite. The additional 6 month closure is almost a certainty, since the SAFMC does not have to seek input to put it in effect. Their past history on this kind of action is that they will most certainly make the closure the full ten months. After that, who knows…
The fishing ban for these fish is a little ridiculous for recreational fisherman period. It is the commercial fisherman that spoil this for us and even though they are implementing them in this ban, they still catch way too much. Unfortunately it doesn’t stop there. Long liners most indefinetely
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Long liners have a high fish kill rate. If it doesn’t match the limit, it is tossed back to feed another life form. Most die of exhaustion and shock of being on the hook too long. Sad but true, this occurs which adds to the depletion of future spawning fish. Recreational fisherman have a greater chance to release the fish due to the amount of time from catch and release. Just a bit of info from a once commercial fisherman.
I believe you are right. Add to that the fact that fishing for grouper won’t stop – just keeping them will be illegal. How many grouper will be caught with blown air bladders only to be released to die.
Spawning season closures are ridiculous. Every gag caught and kept is now dead anyway, so that fish will never spawn no matter what time of year it was caught. A weekend fisherman that spends the money it takes to get out there should be able to keep 2 gags. Think about the money lost in conservation if we stop going!
Nothing interesting, buy thank you. azvpo124