June 17, 2017 — Now that private recreational fishermen are in the first days of the new 39-day red snapper season in federal waters, there’s a lingering question about any future season or seasons for the hundreds of thousands of recreational anglers throughout the five Gulf States.
After Wednesday’s announcement came from the U.S. Department of Commerce, pro-fishing groups proclaimed a long-overdue win for the private recreation fishing community.
During the same hours, groups long aligned with and supporting commercial fishing and the separation of the recreational fishing sector — it’s been three years since these groups pushed for separate seasons for private anglers and for-hire/charterboat interests — decried the move, even to the point of stating the National Marine Fisheries Service indicated red snapper numbers will continue to increase, but at a much slower rate.
None of those claims were revealed in Commerce’s announcement.
The advance of a 39-day season began in the days following the early May proclamation by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council that set a three-day, June 1-3, private recreational red snapper season in federal waters, that’s nine miles out to 200 miles into the Gulf.
And Wednesday’s announcement came just hours after U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., the majority whip, was critically wounded while practicing for the annual baseball game between Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. House and Senate.
“I’d like to offer my thoughts and prayers to Whip Scalise, his staff, the Capitol Police, and their families,” Commerce secretary Wilbur Ross said. “Majority whip Scalise and his staff have been incredibly helpful on this and a host of other issues, and I wish them and the other victims a speedy recovery.”
Tuesday night, on the eve of the announcement, Scalise declared the three-day season “unacceptable.”