AUSTIN, Texas — June 4, 2013 — Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott issued the following statement after a federal district judge overturned a federal emergency rule that attempted to punish certain states – Texas, Louisiana and Florida – by shortening the red snapper recreational fishing season in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico off the states’ coasts:
“This is the latest example of the federal government getting slapped down for illegal, overreaching regulations. This is a big win for Texas fishermen, jobs along the Gulf Coast and – most importantly – the rule of law. Calling the federal government’s actions ‘totally unacceptable’ the court struck down the government’s blatant and discriminatory attempt to punish Texas simply because federal bureaucrats disagreed with state rules about fishing in state waters. The court recognized what I have said all along – that the federal government was merely looking to penalize fishermen in certain states because they do not agree with the state regulations. Texans will not stand by idly while federal bureaucrats attempt to govern by illegal emergency rule – we will fight back and we will prevail.”
Read the full press release from the Office of Attorney General Greg Abbott