John Mica Delays Action to Save the Red Snapper Population off Florida Coasts

[FayeforCure]

Of course that discounts the fact that the only reason there is a red snapper fishery in the Gulf near the state of Florida is the artifical reef program founded by fishermen and divers that provides habitat for red snapper, grouper and other fishes.  This has drastically increased the red snapper populations. You could read Dr Bob Shipp and learn more, but you ignore all of that.

Your experts are some Californians at the Monteray Aquarium.  An aquarium more interested in kelp beds. 

You didn't notice that I just posted an article that says just that,...........that the fishermen in the Gulf Coast have been very actively promoting sustainable fishing! Their only complaint is regarding the sportsmen not being held accountable:

The alliance is also striving to bring some form of accountability to the recreational fleet that claims 49 percent of the overall red snapper quota in the Gulf of Mexico. As of now, there is no tagging program and no reporting requirement.

[Lucasjj]

I have not been part of this discussion, but I saw this on the TU, and this thread has been around here so long I figured I would post it.

Snapper fishing banned from Florida to North Carolina

The federal government announced a six-month ban on fishing for red snapper Thursday that could be followed by far wider restrictions on Southeastern fishing.

Commercial fishermen and sportsmen are covered by the ban, which starts Jan. 4. It affects federal waters - areas more than three miles offshore - from Florida's east coast to North Carolina.

The rule is supposed to be a stopgap while government agencies consider setting more sweeping, long-term restrictions in response to government research that estimates the stock of red snapper in the Southeast is just 3 percent of what it was in the 1950s.

http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2009-12-04/story/snapper_fishing_banned_from_florida_to_north_carolina