Saving Seafood

Rep. Jolly teams with GSI’s Hogarth on Gulf Red Snapper Legislation

November 30, 2015 — One of the largest issues both commercial and recreational fishers face is getting both fishermen and regulators to have faith in the data, especially when it comes to Gulf of Mexico reef fish. Recently introduced legislation by Congressman David Jolly of Florida will hopefully lead to a more accurate count of red snapper and other reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Gulf Red Snapper Data Improvement Act recently introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Jolly will allow for third-party data collection of fish populations to be used for federal stock assessments, which could ultimately lead to longer red snapper fishing seasons for the recreational sectors.

“Nobody trusts the data anymore,” said Dr. Bill Hogarth, Director of the Florida Institute of Oceanography and a Board member of the Gulf Seafood Institute. “Fishermen are on the water everyday and they see what is happening. When you are doing a stock assessment now, you are working with data that is at least two years old. Things change. We have to get more real time data, and this legislation is a good start.”

Rep. Jolly’s bill designates $10 million annually for third-party data collection of Gulf Red Snapper and other Gulf reef species. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southeast Regional Office located in St. Petersburg, Florida would manage the data collection program. A member of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations, Jolly was able to secure similar language in the fiscal year 2016 House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Bill earlier this year.

Read the full story at Gulf Seafood Institute

 

 

Robert Helmick: Red Snapper bill seeks better data, better fishery

November 8, 2015 — Over the years, I, like many of you, have become frustrated with the state of fisheries management in our region. What’s especially frustrating is the lack of investment in more timely and accurate ways to collect the information we need to ensure that we keep fish populations and coastal businesses thriving. Millions of people in this area rely directly or indirectly on our fishery resources to support our families. Each management decision made by federal and state resource managers affects us financially. As it stands, sometimes those decisions must be made without sufficient, quality information.

Thankfully, there is now a solution, or at least a step forward in the right direction, before Congress. If passed, Congressman David Jolly’s (R-St. Petersburg) latest legislation, the Gulf Red Snapper Data Improvement Act (H.R. 3521), would allocate an additional $10 million annually for the collection and contribution of fishery data by recreational and charter/for-hire fishermen. Such an investment would significantly contribute to more timely and accurate federal stock assessments of reef fishes, including the Gulf’s iconic red snapper and red grouper.

Not only does the bill provide the investments needed to manage reef fish fisheries better, it includes a plan for collaboration between scientists, fishermen and decision makers.

Read the full story at the Florida Herald-Tribune