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Contrary to the song, there are no longer too many fish in the sea. Overfishing is depleting our ocean's fish stocks at a staggering rate. Red snapper may be the next major species to fall victim.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Fisheries Service estimates that recreational fishers in the Gulf of Mexico exceeded 2008's annual red snapper catch limit by approximately 1.2 million pounds. As serious fishermen know, it's important to know and to follow current fishing catch limits. As a result of this overfishing, this year's red snapper regulations are even more stringent. The gulf's red snapper spawning populations are down 3 percent this year.
Here are the current regulations for the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic via NOAA:
Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Fishing Regulations
The recreational bag limits are two fish per person. The captain and crew of for-hire vessels (i.e., charter boats) are prohibited from harvesting red snapper.
The current open harvest season in both state and federal waters began on June 1 and closes on August 14. Federal law requires that fishing levels must be reduced in the year following a previous year's overfishing, so the harvest season has been shortened by six weeks.
South Atlantic Red Snapper Fishing Regulations
NOAA Fisheries Service is waiting to approve a moratorium on fishing red snapper in the South Atlantic. The moratorium would go into effect for 180 days, and could be extended for another 186 days. The Council is also in the process of developing a Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan, which would include permanent management measures for red snapper and 9 other reef fish species.
New De-Hooking Regulations
Effective July 29, 2009, recreational and commercial fishers in federal waters in the Atlantic off the Florida coast are required to use de-hooking devices when fishing for reef fish, including red snapper.
Via: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission http://myfwc.com/RulesandRegs/Saltwater_Regulations_Snapper.htm
You can also learn about other overfishing issues on the "Troubled Waters" episode of Focus Earth. Check our schedule for listings.
Read more about sustainable seafood: Blue August.
