Legislation to Prevent Widespread Closures One Step Closer to Passing
The U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources today held a markup hearing on H.R. 4587, an American Sportfishing Association (ASA) priority known as the Red Snapper Act. The committee approved the Red Snapper Act, putting the bill one step closer to becoming law.
Led by Florida Representative John Rutherford (R-Fla.), this bill would prevent NOAA Fisheries from implementing economically disastrous area closures in the South Atlantic until the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count is complete and the findings are integrated into the fishery’s stock assessment. The South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count is a study funded by Congress that will provide new information on the red snapper population to better inform the stock assessment, and ultimately management decisions.
“The Red Snapper Act is key in ensuring that the best science is used to inform South Atlantic snapper-grouper management, rather than rushing into hasty, job-killing decisions,” said American Sportfishing Association (ASA) Southeast Fisheries Policy Director Martha Guyas. “Widespread closures are not needed and would be catastrophic to Florida’s nearly $14 billion recreational fishing industry. The American Sportfishing Association thanks Representative John Rutherford and bill co-sponsors, including committee members Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) and Garrett Graves (R-La.) for introducing this science-informed legislation. ASA also applauds Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and other members of committee for their approval of the Red Snapper Act.”
Previously, NOAA has advocated for closures for all bottom fishing in the South Atlantic in an attempt to decrease the discard rate of red snapper caught outside of the two-day recreational season due to claims of overfishing. But today, red snapper is more abundant than ever before— yet the threat of future closures persists.
“The Red Snapper Act will address longstanding management concerns held by thousands of anglers across Florida and the South Atlantic and will help support our nation’s local economies,” said Congressman John Rutherford in a release. “In Florida’s 5th Congressional District alone, the recreational fishing industry supports nearly 4,500 local jobs. Florida’s anglers deserve dependable access to red snapper fishing. I am grateful to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman, committee members, cosponsors, and advocates for their role in moving this legislation forward.”
More information on ASA’s advocacy work on the Red Snapper Act can be found here.
