Your Role in Their Future - CQRC Engagecqrcengage.com/yamahasandbox/file/y1YctpRwMH0/Gulf... · This manual is for these anglers, ... GULF SPORTFISHERIES • YOUR ROLE IN THEIR FUTURE

Your Role inTheir Future

G • U • L • FYour Role in

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PUBLISHED BY TEXAS FISH & GAME PUBLISHING CO. LLC

1745 Greens Rd • Houston TX 77032 • (800) 750-4678

Publishers • ROY NEVES and ARDIA NEVES

Editor • CHESTER MOORE

Digital Publisher • ELLIOTT DONNELLY

Photography • CHESTER MOORE, JOHN N. FELSHER, NOAA, USFW

Graphic Artists • HEATHER BRYAN, MELINDA BUSS, ANNA CAMPBELL

a public service presentation by

YourRole inTheir

Future

G • U • L • FYour

Role in

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YamahaGulfConservation.indd 4 5/27/15 11:07 AM

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INSIDEINTRODUCTION

Fishing is Complex.......................................................................6

ONERed Snapper Basics ......................................................................8

TWOGulf States Red Snapper Plan .................................................12

THREENOAA National Saltwater Policy ............................................ 16

FOUREnvisioning a New Future forSaltwater Fisheries Management .........................................22

AFTERWORDAn Optimist’s View ....................................................................28

CALL TO ACTION ........................................................................................................30

G • U • L • F


GULF SPORTFISHERIES • YOUR ROLE IN THEIR FUTURE

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FISHING ISCOMPLEX

ood or bad, the fact is, even soaking a nightcrawler and a and a red and white bobber in the city park pond requires navigat-ing regulations.

For anglers who enjoy saltwater fishing, particularly off-shore fishing, regulations have been taken to a whole new level. The complexity of managing fisheries that sometimes span continents is challenging, to say the least, and the number of interests in these fish-eries are all seeking a voice.

Who will manage the fisheries? How much will be allocated to rec-reational fishermen? What about commercial? How do the party boats factor in?

Controversies such as the debacle over red snapper have caused great distress in the offshore fishing industry. In fact, it has caused so many problems, vast amounts of anglers have completely checked out.

There is still, however, a dedicated, hardcore element of Gulf Coast anglers who will do whatever it takes to encounter the special experi-ence that is offshore fishing in the Gulf of Mexico.

This manual is for these anglers, as well as those curious about the fishing they might have enjoyed in the past or perhaps in the future.

It’s a complex fishing world out there and we hope this gives you a glimpse of our Gulf fisheries’ past, present and future.

G

INTRODUCTION

lChester Moore, Editor in Chief,

Texas Fish & Game



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RED SNAPPERBASICS

ed snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) are the most popular species for both recreational and commer-

cial fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico. According to the researchers at LSU/Seagrant,

red snapper are most common in the northern Gulf of Mexico, followed by the western Gulf and least common in southern Florida.

“Small and medium red snapper have a strong at-traction to any sort of bottom relief or obstruction - reefs, rocks, ledges, wrecks, offshore oil and gas platforms, and even such small things on the bottom as pipeline valves and 55-gallon drums. As red snapper become larger, over 10 pounds, they seem to spend more time on relatively open bottom. Frequently, concentrations of large “sow” snapper over 20 pounds in weight, are located on open, obstruction less, clay bottoms. “

“Red snappers are caught more frequently in shallow-er offshore waters in the cooler months than in the warmer months. Whether this is due to actual movement of the fish shoreward in the fall and winter or due to changes in feeding behavior of fish that are present year round is open to debate. Red snappers are usually found in depths

ONE • RED SNAPPER

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between 50 feet and 300 feet. Juvenile red snappers under 10 inches long live in shallower waters, over mud and sand bottoms.”

According to LSU/Seagrant, red snappers are an overall rosy-red color.

“The color fades slightly below. Key characteristics are their red eye, the anal fin being pointed rather than rounded, and the lack of a black spot on each side in individuals over 10 inches long. Red snap-pers spawn over 20 times a year at 4 to 6 day intervals between late May and early October, with a peak in June-August.”

“Some red snapper mature at under one foot in length and they continue to spawn for the rest of their lives. Small fish will produce less than 500 eggs per spawn and large fish over 2 million eggs. Red snap-pers spawn in early evening. Their eggs and larvae are free-floating and at the mercy of currents.”

LSU/Seagrant has noted that research has shown that red snappers may move around more than commonly thought.

“In the late 1990s, researchers caught, tagged, and released almost three thousand red snappers in the northern Gulf. Almost 19 percent of these tagged fish were recaptured. Only about 26% of the fish tagged

Gulf of Mexico fisheries are among the strongest in North America, yet access is extremely limited in many sectors.


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ONE • RED SNAPPER

were in the same place one year later. The average tagged fish moved 18.6 miles before recapture.”

“Tagged red snappers were found to move further and faster than ordinary when hurricanes affected an area. The longest distance moved was 219 miles. Red snappers are considered reef fish, so it would be logical to assume that they eat smaller creatures from the reefs. Inter-estingly, most of their diet has been found to consist of creatures that live on mud bottoms, so red snappers get very little nutritional benefit from reefs. Fish are the number one item in their diet, with the most common ones being pipefish, snake eels, searobins, pinfish, striped anchovies, cusk eels, and pigfish.”

Snapper however have a varied diet with crabs making an impor-tant component during certain periods and virtually anything making the menu for the largest specimens. An interesting study conducted in Alabama suggests that at night, snapper often leave reef areas to feed on nocturnally active fish.

Although typically thought of as a “bottom fish”, snapper actually feed in various parts of the water column. Savvy snapper anglers will throw out fish parts as chum and bring them to the surface where on occasion they can be caught on topwater plugs.

Most recreationally caught snapper are taken form party or “head” boats by anglers soaking dead squid. Large chunks of fish seem to work better for larger fish. Most anglers who target giant snapper use some sort of large, bottom-bouncing jig in tandem with a cigar minnow or Spanish sardine.

The average snapper weighs between two and eight pounds but fish weighing more than 20 pounds are common around oil rigs, reefs and wrecks. The world record is a whopping 50 pounds, 4 ounces, show-ing the size potential for these fish is great.

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by Chester Moore



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Gulf states have united to create a united management plan for red snapper.


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TWO • GULF STATES RED SNAPPER PLAN

GULF STATESCREATE A

RED SNAPPERCONSERVATION

PLANn a move long-awaited by the recreational fish-

ing and boating community, the directors of the state fish and wildlife agencies from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas an-

nounced an agreement for state-based man-agement of Gulf of Mexico red snapper, which in recent years has experienced increasing priva-tization of this public resource and decreasing recreational fishing opportunities. The announce-ment was greeted with strong enthusiasm from the recreational fishing and boating community, which has supported greater state control of Gulf red snapper.

“Throughout the country, states have proven to be highly successful at fish and wildlife man-agement in a way that conserves natural resources while allowing for reasonable public access,” said

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Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Coastal Conservation. “The Gulf states are among the nation’s leaders in marine fisheries manage-ment, which is why we have continued to look to them as the vehicle for managing Gulf red snapper going forward to get us out of the current mess created by federal mismanagement.”

Gulf of Mexico red snapper is presently managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, under the National Marine Fish-eries Service. The states’ agreement, which is predicated on transfer-ring management authority away from the Council, describes the key elements of a plan in which the Gulf states would coordinate manage-

Recreational anglers claim in some areas they are catching more trophy-sized red snapper than ever.


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ment of red snapper throughout the Gulf of Mexico through the pro-posed Gulf States Red Snapper Management Authority.

“Coordinated management among the states is the only solution to an unaccountable federal system of fisheries management,” said Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation President Jeff Crane. “Faced with an untenable situation, the states have risen to the challenge and collectively identified a clear path to a more balanced fishery.”

Under this management structure, each state would have author-ity to manage red snapper out to 200 miles off its coastline. Each state would be responsible for developing and implementing a red snapper

management plan for its waters, which would be approved by the rest of the states.

“We have long pushed for the states to take over Gulf red snapper, but until now, we haven’t had a detailed plan for what state-based management would look like,” said Pat-rick Murray, president of Coastal Conservation Association. “Under this approach, we are confident that management outcomes will begin to align with the health of the resource and anglers’ access to it.”

“Gulf red snapper is incredibly important to the econo-my of coastal communities throughout the Gulf of Mexico region, and attracts anglers from all across the country,” said Mike Nussman, president and CEO of the American Sportfishing Association. “It’s abundantly clear that the states are best equipped to manage this valuable fishery. It’s time we give them that opportunity.”

TWO • GULF STATES RED SNAPPER PLAN

lby Chester Moore



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NOAANATIONAL SALTWATER

POLICYhe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently

unveiled a national saltwater recreational fishing policy which was greeted enthusias-

tically by sportfishing and boating lead-ers. The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) has urged the agency to develop and adopt an approach to define and coordinate federal efforts to advance salt-water recreational fishing. NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Eileen Sobeck made the announcement during a press conference at the Miami International Boat Show.

The first-of-its-kind, the National Saltwater Recre-ational Fisheries Policy was one of the key recommen-dations of the Commission on Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Management, of which ASA was a contribu-tor.

“This policy represents a milestone in NOAA Fisheries’ relationship with the recreational fishing community,” said ASA President and CEO Mike Nuss-man, who was present for the announcement. “While the sportfishing industry and the recreational fishing

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THREE • NOAA NATIONAL SALTWATER POLICY

Amberjack are one of several important species that have seen major regulation changes in recent years.



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The Gulf Coast’s sportfisheries offer an-glers easy access to stellar fishing action.


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community have been frustrated with saltwater fisheries management in federal waters, much of it is attributable to the lack of clear guidance within NOAA Fisheries for how to properly manage and consider recreational fishing’s inter-ests. This new policy sets forth a path for how the agency will elevate recreational fishing in a way that benefits both fisheries resources and public access to them.”

Pulled directly from the National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy, the policy iden-tifies goals and guiding principles related to recreational fishing to be integrated into NOAA Fisheries planning, budgeting, decision-making and activities. The goals of the policy are to: 1) support and maintain sustainable saltwa-ter recreational fisheries resources, including healthy marine and estuarine habitats; 2) pro-mote saltwater recreational fishing for the social, cultural, and economic benefit of the nation; and, 3) enable enduring participation in, and enjoy-ment of, saltwater recreational fisheries through science-based conservation and management.

“While we strongly support the goals set forth in this policy, we recognize that its suc-cess will ultimately be judged by on-the-water improvements in recreational fishing opportuni-ties,” said ASA Ocean Resource Policy Director Mike Leonard. “We are looking forward to the policy’s implementation plans which we under-stand will be released this spring. The implemen-



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tation plan will describe how the agency will put this policy into action. These will give our community a better sense of some of the specific improvements we might see as a result of this policy.”

In addition to advocating for a saltwater recreational fishing policy, the Commission on Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Management, also known as the Morris-Deal Commission after co-chairs Johnny Morris, founder and CEO, Bass Pro Shops, and Scott Deal, president, Maverick Boats, recommended five other key policy changes including:

• Adopting a revised approach to saltwater recreational fisheries management

• Allocating marine fisheries for the greatest benefit to the nation• Creating reasonable latitude in stock rebuilding timelines• Codifying a process for cooperative management• Managing for the forage base“Many of the problems with federal saltwater fisheries manage-

Artificial reefing structure gives anglers along the Gulf Coast consistent access to a variety of species.


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ment stem from shortcomings in its governing law – the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act – and therefore must be addressed outside of this policy,” said Leonard. “In order to fully realize the benefits saltwater recreational fishing provides to the nation, we call upon Congress as it considers the Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization to enact the other changes described in the Morris-Deal report.”


Shark fishing has become increasingly popular, especially in Texas.

lfrom TEXAS FISH & GAME Staff Reports



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Sharks are a fun symbol of easy to access Gulf fishing.


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FOUR • THE FUTURE OF SALTWATER FISHERIES

ENVISIONING A NEW FUTURE FOR SALTWATER

FISHERIESMANAGEMENT

merica’s sportsmen and women are the backbone of aquatic resource conservation. For the past several de-

cades, anglers have played a leading role in helping rebuild marine fish stocks and prevent overfishing. This

is a success story of which we should all be proud. Through federal excise taxes on fishing equipment and

motorboat fuel, fishing license fees and direct donations, an-glers contribute nearly $1.5 billion annually to fund fisheries conservation and habitat restoration. Our community invests in aquatic resource conservation because we know that the future of recreational fishing directly depends on the health of fish populations and their habitat. In the last half century, saltwater recreational fishing in the U.S. has experienced tre-mendous advances in the overall number of anglers, angling ethics, technology used and their overall economic impact to the nation.

The National Marine Fisheries Service estimates that approximately 11 million Americans participated in saltwater fishing in 2011, spending $27 billion on fishing tackle, equip-

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ment, and trip-related goods and services. Spending by saltwater anglers generated more than $70 billion in economic output, supporting more than 450,000 jobs. However, in the midst of our success in rebuilding marine fisheries and the growth in saltwater recreational fishing, the federal fisheries management system has not adapted to meet the needs of this economic and conservation powerhouse.

Recognizing that we now have an opportunity to establish a saltwa-ter fisheries management system that incorporates the unique goals and needs of anglers a group of leaders and experts in the fisheries com-munity initiated a landmark process to develop a vision for saltwater recreational fishing chaired by Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops, and Scott Deal, president and co-founder of Maverick Boats. Throughout 2013, the Commission on Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Management met to deliberate and debate strategies to improve saltwa-ter recreational fisheries management.

After extensive discussion and deliberation, the commission estab-lished a vision for saltwater recreational fishing and identified steps to set the foundation for a management system that addresses the needs of anglers and industry and produces the full range of economic, social and conservation benefits provided by recreational fishing.

The recommendations in the Morris-Deal report primarily focus on the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act in six key areas:

• Establishing a national policy for recreational saltwater fishing• Adopting a revised approach to saltwater recreational fisheries

management• Allocating marine fisheries for the greatest benefit to the nation• Creating reasonable latitude in stock rebuilding timelines• Codifying a process for cooperative management• Managing for the forage base


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Our ocean resources are used for many commercial and recreational purposes. Despite its large constituency and major economic impact, when critical regulatory or management decisions are made, the recre-ational saltwater fishing community often doesn’t get due consideration. This is particularly true regarding federal marine waters, which, in most parts of the country, extend from three to 200 miles offshore.

The three factors contributing to the inadequate management of federal marine fisheries for recreational fishing are:

•The laws that govern federal marine fisheries are primarily designed for and focused on commercial fishing.

•The federal agency tasked with managing marine fisheries has com-mercial fishing as its primary focus.

• We do not have a national policy for saltwater recreational fishing

Federal law is focused primarily on commercial fishing. In the 1960s, foreign fishing fleets began fishing in waters off the U.S. coast for high market value fish and shellfish. Due to a desire to both conserve these valuable stocks from overfishing and promote and develop domestic commercial interests, Sen. Warren G. Magnuson of Washington State led the passage of the 1976 Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The act established a U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, or EEZ, from three to 200 miles offshore and established eight regional fisheries manage-ment councils to develop management plans for marine fisheries in their individual regions.

These actions were extraordinarily effective, and within a decade U.S. commercial interests had replaced foreign fishing fleets in the EEZ. While the act was successful in keeping foreign fleets out of U.S. waters, many marine fish stocks were at low levels, prompting legislative chang-es to better ensure the fisheries’ sustainability.

Led by Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, in 1996 the act was amended with




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provisions to end overfishing and protect important fish habitats. This became the 1996 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Man-agement Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).The Magnuson-Stevens Act was again reauthorized in 2006, which added strict deadlines to end overfish-ing and called for annual catch limits to be put in place for all fisheries by a certain date.

While the Magnuson-Stevens Act has produced a demonstrable im-provement in fish stocks, we now need to manage that success in a way that fully develops saltwater recreational fishing’s economic, social and conservation benefits to our nation.

Because it is a fundamentally different activity than commercial fishing, recreational fishing requires different management approaches. From a management perspective, the Magnuson-Stevens Act relies on limited entry and catch share programs, along with fixed quotas that can be managed in real time. While these approaches work for the commer-cial sector where relatively few vessels are focused on maximum sustain-able yield, recreational fisheries are enjoyed by millions of individuals with diverse goals. Some try to catch fish for food, while others simply want to have fun catching and releasing fish and enjoy their time out-doors. What recreational anglers want and need is wide-ranging, depend-able access to healthy and abundant fish stocks.

Current laws and policies governing saltwater recreational fishing have not kept pace with the evolution of recreational saltwater fishing, its growing popularity and its economic impact.

This impact is equal to or greater than the commercial industry in terms of number of jobs provided and total economic benefits, while ac-counting for only a fraction of overall landings.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and ultimately the Department of Commerce, is the federal agency responsible for fish-eries management in federal waters.


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Given its mandated commercial focus, the fact that the NMFS has not embraced fisheries management practices that also meet the unique goals, needs and motivations of recreational anglers should come as no surprise. For the past several decades, the recreational fishing community has helped lead the charge toward building a management system that controls commercial exploitation to effectively sustain healthy fisheries resources.

This was a natural focus of anglers, policymakers and resource managers because commercial fishing accounts for the vast majority of finfish harvest and has been the primary contributor to over-exploitation. While the road to ending overfishing has been a challenge and many sacrifices have been made, Americans now have a solid foundation of healthy fisheries resources that benefit the entire nation.

However, the federal system to control commercial fisheries exploita-tion is largely inappropriate for managing recreational fishing.The solu-tion is to develop a national policy for saltwater recreational fishing that builds upon our current fisheries management system but acknowledges that a new and distinctive path forward is needed for recreational fishing.

The Morris-Deal report addresses the three primary contributing fac-tors that have led to deficient federal saltwater fisheries management by identifying a clear vision for saltwater recreational fisheries management and recommending key policy changes to establish the foundation for a national saltwater recreational fishing policy.

The work to implement a national policy for recreational fishing will take a collective effort in which all segments of the recreational fishing community will need to come together and engage with fisheries manag-ers, policymakers and other stakeholders to advance a unified vision.

lfrom Texas Fish & Game Staff Reports



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AN OPTIMIST’S VIEW

ll of this might seem a bit confusing or, in part, even depressing, especially when viewed in the nostalgic light

of yesteryear when things were simpler.Times have indeed changed, but this has not

diminished the excitement offered by the amazing fisheries on the Gulf Coast.

While we stand united to enhance our access to the Gulf of Mexico and its incredible resources, we should not let all of the red tape get us down.

The time we do have on the water should be considered sacred as we witness Creation’s best and enjoy world-class sporting opportuni-ties.

There are powerful, hard-working organizations like the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) working hard to make the future bright for those who venture into the blue-green frontier of the Gulf of Mexico. And there is a growing awareness among individuals that the status quo cannot be tolerated.

No matter what happens in the halls of Congress or in the depths of bureaucracy, we should never let it steal our rights to fishing and connecting with the toughest fish in the Gulf.

A

lChester Moore



CALL TO ACTION ngaged anglers are the key to positive changes in regula-tions and long-term conservation of the species that mean

so much to us.Anglers who can look back to a time before the current

system began to take hold may be understandably weary of seemingly getting no positive traction on the recreational front but the fact is officials hearing from the public can make a difference.

And the fact is the stakes are higher than ever. The fishery needs your action, passion and follow through.

What exactly can you do?You can contact your Congressman and let them know you want

common sense conservation to prevail and for the recreational side of the fishery to get its fair shake.

Go to the addresses below to find your Representative or Senator:http://house.govhttp://www.senate.gov

To contact the National Marine Fisheries Service visit the site below:

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aboutus/contactus.htmlTo contact the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council visit

the site below:http://www.gulfcouncil.org/contact.php

Those who would completely eliminate sport fishing and at the very least retain the status quo are hard at work engaging our govern-ment officials. It’s time for the sport fishing community to do the same but using good science and a legacy of stewardship.


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Documents

Your Role in Their Future - CQRC Engagecqrcengage.com/yamahasandbox/file/y1YctpRwMH0/Gulf... · This manual is for these anglers, ... GULF SPORTFISHERIES • YOUR ROLE IN THEIR FUTURE