NOAA Fisheries Announces Limited Openings of Recreational and Commercial Red Snapper Seasons in South Atlantic Federal Waters
WHAT/WHEN:
The recreational sector will open for harvest on the following days:
July 12, 13, and 14, 2019 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) - The recreational season opens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 12, 2019, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 15, 2019.
July 19 and 20, 2019 (Friday and Saturday) - The recreational season opens again at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 19, 2019, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 21, 2019.
The commercial sector will open for harvest at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 8, 2019, and will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2020, unless the commercial annual catch limit is met or projected to be met before this date.
If the commercial sector needs to close before 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2020, NOAA Fisheries will announce it in the Federal Register and publish another Fishery Bulletin
The recreational quota is considerably higher than the commercial quota. Don't let the numbers of fish for recs verses pounds for comms confuse you. Unreliable recreational landings data is a big part of why that season is so short. So many recreational anglers is another reason. Officially reporting recreational landings would help. Submitting public comments about when you want openings to occur could solve that problem. Using a descending device to release Red Snapper suffering barotrauma could help us keep more of the approximately 400,000 pounds of Red Snapper still being allocated to projected dead discards.
Agreed on all counts.
With a commercial trip limit at 75 pounds. The commercial fisherman is not getting anything special. I have a total different opinion from last year. They certainly can not do just a ARS trip. Only going to help with fuel. Both rec.and comm. got a bad deal. But it is what it is they are already talking change next year. Somehow recreational fish need to be accounted for. But the one thing I found strange the commercial quota was extended last year. Due to not meeting quota by end of year. On a side note commercial and recreational need to unite not fight. There are many out there that would be happy to stop all fishing, hunting, trapping. I feel somehow there is a common ground.