Red Snapper Fishing To Be Limited

December 18, 2006

Release from: Tampa Bay Business Journal

Overfishing is hampering the government's attempts to rebuild the red snapper population in the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, the National Marine Fisheries Service has proposed temporary rules that will further limit the catch.

Under the new rules, recreational fishermen can catch two fish per day, down from four under the old rules. The fisheries service is trying to reduce the total catch to 6.5 million pounds, from the current estimated 9.1 million pounds.

In addition, there are restrictions on the number of fish that commercial fishermen can catch, new size limits and and overall snapper mortality goal to reach, the fisheries service said in a release.

While these new rules are temporary, if the red snapper continues to be overfished during 2007, the fisheries service intends to make the restrictions tougher and permanent for 2008.