July 20, 2015 — The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is collecting feedback from dozens of fishing areas from Florida up to North Carolina about the snapper-grouper fishery.

At a public hearing at the Murrells Inlet Community Center Monday night, local fishermen spoke out against the proposed regulations.

A number of local commercial and some recreational fishermen said this council’s proposals are like Big Brother on the fishing industry.

They said fishermen should just be left alone to fish.

“We want some controversial items that are opposed by nearly all fishermen removed, like catch shares, which is an effort to privatize the fishery, electronic monitoring of a vessel, and more closed fishing areas,” said Tom Swatzel, a council member with Sustainable Fishing.  “We just don’t need those at this time.”

The Vision Project which was initially launched last year by SAFMC was blasted by local fishermen Monday night.

 

Read the full story at WPDE.com