The Feds say that Recreational Anglers went way over quota causing the short 3 day season.
NOAA announced Tuesday the red snapper season for private anglers will run from June 1, 2017, 12:01 am local time to June 4, 2017 at 12:01 am local time. So as a private boater, unless you go fishing for red snapper the first weekend of June, you’re out of luck if you want to do so in federal waters, which start 9 nautical miles offshore.
For federally permitted for-hire vessels, the 2017 red snapper season for federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico will run from June 1, 2017 at 12:01 am local time to July 20, 2017, at 12:01 am local time.
According to NOAA, here’s how the season lengths were determined:
–The red snapper total recreational quota is allocated 57.7% to the private angling component and 42.3% to the for-hire component.
–In 2016, the total recreational quota was exceeded by 129,906 pounds. The private angling quota was also exceeded.
–The overage of the total recreational quota must be paid back by the private angling component because that component exceeded its quota. After adjustment for the 2016 overage, the 2017 annual catch target for the private angling component is 3,004,075 pounds whole weight. The 2017 annual catch target for the for-hire component is 2,278,000 pounds whole weight.
–Catches in both state and federal waters are counted against the quota. The number of days for each component to harvest its annual catch target was calculated using 2016 catch rates and accounting for the expected red snapper harvest during state seasons outside the federal season. Private anglers are expected to harvest nearly 81% of the private angling quota during state seasons that range from 67 to 365 days.
–Based on the 2017 catch targets and after accounting for landings during state seasons, the private angling season in federal waters can be 3 days and the for-hire season can be 49 days.
–For information on red snapper recreational management in the Gulf of Mexico including how the season lengths were projected, go to: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/red_snapper/index.html
Tuesday’s announcement came less than 2 weeks after Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced its red snapper dates for 2017.
The red snapper season for Florida state waters (less than 9 nautical miles from shore) are:
–Saturdays and Sundays in May starting the first Saturday in May.
–Open daily starting the Saturday before Memorial Day (May 27) through Sunday following Independence Day (July 9).
–Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in September and October, plus Labor Day (Sept. 4).
(information taken from this site: http://www.wjhg.com/content/news/Federal-snapper-season-announced-3-days-for-private-anglers-in-2017-421048453.html)
Once again NMFS demonstrates that they are completely biased in favor of the commercial sector. If the Red Snapper fishery is truly “over fished” than make commercial harvest/sale of the species illegal. Of corse, that would never happen because they have no interest in rebuilding the ARS (which isn’t needed). They are simplying using BS science to gain control of the allocation by saying “recreational” anglers greatly exceeded their catch share. What a joke!
State regulation Saturday and Sundays in may allows red snapper fishing if within the nine mile state boundary. The joke is there is no red snapper in water that shallow at least from tarpon springs south to Ana Maria. Does anyone know different? If so,please share.
The commercial Red Snapper fishermen AKA, Snapper Barons continue to receive higher Red Snapper quotas every year. Approximately 17 Snapper Barons have exclusive rights to 90% of the Red Snapper in the Gulf OF Mexico. Some of the Snapper Barons are making millions of dollars leasing their Individual Fish Quota (IFQ). Some don’t fish or even own a commercial fishing boat. Yet, the recreational anglers get few and fewer days to fish. I beg you to write and complain to your Congressional Representative about the injustice we are being forced to endure.
Once again the little folks that have no say-so get beaten up again! No fish in our little boats that need good weather to reach ARS! Not one of my fishing friends put one ARS in the boat this year. Last year the weather kept most weekenders in port with very few ARS to claim? So Sad Sector Nonsense
I am sure I express the same feelings as other recreational anglers. What a sham. Every year there is a reason for a shortened season for american red snapper. I want to know how you arrive at the recreational fish caught. I have fished and dove the waters off of Pinellas and Pasco counties for over 30 years. These last 2 years I have seen more ARS in the water than the previous 28 years in 60 to 70ft of water. That is not because of the testri5on recreatioal restrictions but because of the ban on longliners in the grounds! I actually watched a fishing show on TFC where a member of the FWC board caught a red grouper of of Naples and actually asked what it was and was it legal! These are the people making the decisions.
NOAA and the National Fisheries and Gulf Council are completely corrupt. The same group of people vote for who gets the allocations are on the board that do the actual fishing. Most of them have become multi-millionaires in the past few years by allocating to themselves. It’s a corrupt group of about 50 people controlling the commercial allocations and they are they are catching 95% plus of the fish…
I want to know how they are accounting for state landings when it hasn’t happened yet? I would like to have the Crystal ball their using so I could win the Florida lottery!
What a joke !!!!!!!!!!!
I am wondering how did they come up with that weight? I know that they didn’t weigh every fish caught. This is so stupid that its not even funny and it makes it hard to understand why would anyone go fishing in Fed waters for 3 days. The thing is that it makes people cheat! You could go to Fed waters and catch a couple and drive back into state waters and how would they know? There are not enough patrols to stop it. Just doesn’t help at all!
This same type of logic is now applying to Amberjack as well. AJ’s were shut down in March and there was no announcement. This decision is also based on recreational take overage?? Who knew? Each year the small guy gets less and less and the laws are harder and harder to stay up with. Do your best or sell your boats? I think all of us rec guys need to pool some money for a good lawyer or lobby and start fighting.
The rules are WRONG and cheat the private fisherman. But anyone that sids there no Red Snapper inside the 9 mile just does not know how to fish for them We catch a limit on public sport wihtout any problem. But we do catch an average larger size in fed waters. There is NO reasonable reason for the fed to give us just 3 DAYS!