The tourist industry, recreational industry, inshore and offshore anglers are suffering from a triple blow this year. These recent and new restrictions make Florida much less of a Mecca for tourist, puts undue restrictions on charter captains and local anglers alike. Related industries such as boat manufactures, tackle manufactures and outlets, hotels, rental cars right down to beer purchases are all feeling the pinch. The Federal restrictions are a direct result of the interpretation of the Magnusson Act. This legislation was originally designed to restock our Gulf and Atlantic Ocean fisheries to sustainable levels. In the first few years, this was done with taste, compassion and the result was very good, improving many fisheries. Then it was amended. As with all laws, who does the interpretation is the key to results.
First of all, the war against recreational anglers, charter boats and the tourist industry by the administration through NOAA came to full fruition this winter in the name of the Magnusson Act. The Magnusson Act is a catch all excuse for the current administration to curtail this segment of industry. Excessive limits on gag grouper (the first area of concern) and red snapper (the second area of concern) were bad enough, but by handling the Gulf of Mexico as one pond, NOAA has initiated irresponsible mandates under the guise of the Magnusson act.
The current methodology of grouping all areas of the Gulf of Mexico into one control area, NOAA has put undue restrictions on charter captains, recreational anglers and tourist in parts of the Gulf of Mexico. These rules also strengthens the belief that the result of an Obama Appointee that heads NOAA, restricting the fishing, tourist and charter industry further retards jobs, the boating and tackle industry and all related industries is the result.
The third area of concern is spotted sea t rout. For several years, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have done an excellent job of bringing back the spotted sea trout to near 1960 levels. Amazingly they did so under the current considerable fishing pressure. Suddenly, this year they decided to open the spotted sea trout to extensive commercial angling. This move puts the deep flats stocks where spotted sea trout spend the summers in peril. These are the stocks that tourist, snow birds, charter boats and all other recreational anglers vie for. Commercial hook and line operations operating in offshore trout havens could and most likely will decimate these areas. The illegal use of nets will add to the problem. This does not take into consideration the bait shrimp nets take of trout. Trout do not freeze well and the bulk of the commercial catch will most likely make it to the cat food cannery. The 2010 winter season saw fewer 15 to 22 inch spotted sea trout in the Central West Coast area than 2009, according to local anglers in the Tampa Bay area. However, according to the FWC, stocks were such that they could allow increased commercial taking of spotted sea trout. Adding insult to injury, the FWC threw a bone to the recreational anglers, opening the closures in the winter months that protects and perpetuates these fish stocks that have been in place for years. We have to wonder why and what the stocks will look like two for three years from now.
One theory being banded about includes NOAA. Is there an unwritten agreement between NOAA and the FWC to throw the commercial anglers a bone in the form of spotted sea trout, to offset the restrictions of NOAA on commercial catches? Recreational anglers in general have great sympathy for the commercial plight initiated by NOAA, because we are all in this together. However, shouldn’t we question using spotted sea trout to offset already unwise rules by another unwise rule if this is in fact the case?
Managing formats used by NOAA for the offshore Gulf areas needs to be changed. Florida has 3 general areas in the Gulf of Mexico. The first is the Panhandle in West Florida, where offshore conditions are extremely different than the other two areas. The second area is the Central West Florida Coastline from roughly Hernando County to Fort Myers and thirdly, the South Florida area from Fort Myers to the Florida Keys. Due to these differences, and the antiquated methods used by NOAA; a system of blanket managing have been adopted. Yes, it is easier for NOAA to do it this way, but is far from accurate and promotes unethical draconian rules.
For example, in the Panhandle of West Florida, red snapper and gag grouper can be caught minutes from shore. This puts a lot of pressure on red snapper and gag grouper in this area. There is no question that certain restrictions should be carried out in this area. However, in contrast, Off the Central West Florida coastline, you have journey 1 to 2 hours for off season gag grouper (twice a year they come in closer) and 2 to 3 hours offshore for red snapper. This means the pressure by recreational anglers is much less. Consequently, there is no shortage of gag grouper and red snapper in this region. The third area off the 10,000 islands and the Florida Keys has its own constrictions, with most of the pressure exerted in the Florida Keys which deserves its own set of limitations to comply with the Magnusson Act.
Managing the Gulf of Mexico in three zones makes more sense. Expanding spotted sea trout to greater pressure does not. A change in upper NOAA fisheries management could occur in 2012. That would also help. What do you think?
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