SAFMC approves red snapper reductions - Fernandina Beach News-Leader

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved an amendment to reduce the red snapper annual catch limit.

Assuming the Secretary of Commerce approves the amendment, Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 35 will bring the annual catch limit down from 42,510 fish to 28,000 fish, an approximately 34% decrease. Limits are expected to go into effect later this year.

Talks have been ongoing for months now as officials, fishing advocates and members of the public have weighed in on the issue of red snapper release mortality rates in the South Atlantic region. No dates have been announced for the 2023 red snapper fishing season, though the council assured dates would be released before any opening in July.

The amendment also limits recreational fishermen to using one hook per line when fishing for snapper grouper species.

Though commentators from several interested parties have expressed their disapproval of the amendment, the council is obligated by law to take action as long as red snapper remains overfished, even if the majority of overfishing happens during the offseason as a result of release mortality. If not released with proper care, red snapper caught as bycatch can suffer fatal injuries back in the water.

The American Sportfishing Association recently echoed the sentiments of many of its members when Martha Guyas, the association's Southeast Fisheries Policy director, shared her testimony with Congress March 8.

"South Atlantic red snapper has rebounded so much that the stock is at record abundance," Guyas told members of the House Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. "However, rebuilding success has not translated into successful management that provides reasonable harvest access, and serious questions have been raised about the latest assessment."

Red snapper was overfished for decades, and while assessments have shown improvement in its numbers, the council's data shows that discard mortality keeps red snapper overfished. Many fishermen in public comment have disputed this, saying they often find themselves catching numerous red snapper when they are out on the water.

When talks of total area closures began, fishermen and congressmen alike responded with frustration. Rep. John Rutherford introduced a bill into Congress, The Red Snapper Act, that would prohibit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from closing snapper grouper fisheries until the conclusion of the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count and the inclusion of its data in stock assessments.

The South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count is a cooperative effort between government and private researchers to tally the total number of red snapper in the South Atlantic. It is a years-long project that aims to provide a more accurate number than previous years' tallies. Fishing advocates hope this project will provide better data for NOAA and the council to base their decisions on.

As reported in the Red Snapper Act, recreational fishing generated $9.2 billion and provided 88,501 jobs in 2020.

hdorman@fbnewsleader.com