"Gulf grouper recreational season closes Feb. 1” stated a NOAA communication today Jan. 26, 2012. Is this statement an oxymoron? What grouper season are they referring to, there is none is there? NOAA has already closed gag grouper since November 2011, putting many charter captains out of business or deep in debt, in many cases unnecessarily. Gag grouper is the specie most anglers, tourist included, fish for as they are the most readily available on the West Coast of Florida. The other species that are left are not as easy to catch due to the fact that they are mostly available in very deep water. Of course legal size red grouper are virtually non existent.
According to NOAA, ‘The gag grouper population is considered to low, and too many are being caught for the population to be sustainable’. When asked just where these fish are ‘scarce’, NOAA refuses to specify. The truth is that in some areas of the Gulf of Mexico, stocks may possible be low. However, that is not the case off the Central West Florida coastline. Why are the residents and tourist alike in this area being punished? We adhere to fish limits and therefore have an abundance of gag grouper and red snapper. Why doesn’t NOAA manage the recreational fishery in zones, instead of managing it as the whole Gulf of Mexico? The recreational anglers in general would really like to know if there is a logical reason. But when government is omnipotent, that is, not beholding to the people, logic and reason is replaced by politics. The stock answer is adherence to the Magnusson fisheries act.
In truth, there are 3 shoreline zones in the Gulf of Mexico; Texas to West Florida, the Central West Florida, and South Florida. Trouble is, NOAA and the Gulf Coast Council manage the Gulf of Mexico as one entity. This seems to be less than efficient to many.
Recreationally speaking, Gag grouper could easily be opened of the Central West Florida zone. There are plenty of Gag grouper in this area according to many recreational sources and charter captains. Grouper to 33 inches are being caught and released in high numbers. What part of abundant does NOAA not understand? But then NOAA would be criticized by the commercial industry.
Now, they have seen fit to close all the other species that no one catches much anyway, Specifically Black grouper. Fishing deep water for red snapper and grouper in 2010 and 2011 only 2 blacks were caught by one prolific angler. A charter captain stated that out of 100 red grouper caught, only 1 over 20 inches in 3 trips (legal limit for recreational anglers) were caught, time and time again out to 40 miles off Hernando County. However, commercial anglers, are allowed to keep red grouper from 18 inches up. No wonder there are no red grouper within the strike zone of most recreational anglers.
Lets see now, just recently (as a bone thrown to recreational anglers when gag was closed) NOAA increased the legal catch of red grouper to 4 fish. All of a sudden, virtually weeks later, they are now to be closed? However, perhaps NOAA ‘got it’ that there were few red grouper to catch? In that case the decision to close red grouper may have been justified. Recreation anglers will be a bit confused about the quick about face in NOAA’s decisions, but what the heck.
Managing the entire Gulf of Mexico as one entity is most likely the easiest path to take by NOAA, but not the best. Perhaps the entire Atlantic ocean should be managed the same way?
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