The management of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico has become one of the most contentious fisheries issues in recent history. As with so many aspects of resource management, agreement among stakeholders is rare. But even within this quagmire of political posturing and beauracratic red tape, there exist some certainties. First and foremost is CCA’s dedication to the future of the red snapper fishery and the participation of recreational anglers within this fishery. To understand the evolving management of red snapper and CCA’s involvement, it is important to review the past as we push into the new millennium.

The Past

Although it is difficult to encapsulate the history of red snapper management, there are a few highlights that help map this winding path. By 1979, the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council (Gulf Council) had determined that red snapper stocks were overfished. An estimated 87 percent drop in recreational harvest from 1980 to 1984 prompted the Gulf Council to create its "Reef Fish Management Plan." This innovative program became law in 1984 and was implemented by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in the late 1980s.

The Gulf Council recommended an extensive rebuilding plan for red snapper. An integral part of this program was new and intensive restrictions on commercial and recreational catches coupled with a newfound realization that a majority of juvenile red snapper mortality was caused by shrimp trawls. The rebuilding plan set a time frame and a minimum red snapper biomass as targets for full recovery of the species.

To reach the desired stock number, fisheries managers continued to tighten the belt of commercial and recreational anglers yet were unable to implement bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) to reduce commercial Gulf shrimpers’ impact on juvenile red snapper numbers. An estimated 4-12 million juvenile red snapper were being taken per year as bycatch in Gulf trawls. Unfortunately, a 1990 congressional mandate prevented BRDs from being required in federal waters.

Reauthorization of the Magnuson Act into the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act in 1996 forever changed the arena of federal fisheries management. Within this vital document are the components needed for the prevention of overfishing, addressing the issue of bycatch, and rebuilding overfished fisheries. A floor amendment allowed the Gulf Council to now treat shrimp-fishery bycatch like any other in the country.

A last-minute amendment added to the law changed the recreational red snapper "allotment" to a "quota." The law requires NMFS to close a fishery when its "quota" is reached. Thus, this change in terminology resulted in the 1997, 1998, and 1999 recreational closures for red snapper when the total allowable catch (TAC) was reached.

BRDs

By law, the rebuilding process for red snapper must not take more than 29 years. For this to be an attainable goal, NMFS had to address the problem of bycatch in the shrimping industry. In the spring of 1998, the Gulf Council passed an amendment to require BRDs for shrimp trawls in federal waters. The weight of the recovery of the red snapper fishery was now being extended to Gulf shrimpers.

The Texas Shrimp Association (TSA) was quick to file a lawsuit opposing the implementation of BRDs, and CCA promptly intervened. Bob Hayes, general counsel for CCA, said "…bycatch in the shrimp industry is so extensive that without bycatch reduction, red snapper stocks cannot recover." The future of this fishery hinges on many factors, but one of the most critical continues to be the use of BRDs.

CCA is currently entrenched opposing TSA’s appeal of the BRD ruling. Without BRDs, 60 to 80 percent of the juvenile red snapper population is in jeopardy. TSA has also filed suit challenging the directed recreational TAC. "This suit is just another attempt by the shrimp industry to avoid reducing their own bycatch," said Hayes.

"The larger picture here for recreational anglers is that without BRDs, the red snapper population will not recover," said Kevin Daniels, executive director of CCA Texas. "Our season would be three to four months at the maximum." Additionally, it would be highly unlikely that the 29-year target for recovery of the fishery would be obtainable. Subsequently, NMFS would have to seriously consider a complete moratorium for the fishery. "Very few people are aware that the future of the red snapper fishery is being played out in a New Orleans appeals court," warned Hayes. Luckily, CCA is there.

TAC

Currently, recreational and commercial anglers split a 9.12 million-pound annual TAC through the 2001 season. CCA has fought hard to maintain this poundage quota through the past three seasons. Recently, much attention has been given to CCA’s "support" of a shorter season through a status quo TAC. In reality, the opposite is true. CCA supports the largest possible TAC and season within the tight framework allowed for proper recovery of the species. To think that CCA arbitrarily supports reduced access for recreational anglers is laughable. Without following the management methods necessary for rebuilding the species, there will be no recovery…ever. If the rebuilding goal becomes unobtainable, the recreational angler will be managed out of the fishery.

The true fight has been to head off a reduction of the TAC to 6 million pounds. The only thing that curtailed a 6 million-pound TAC in 1998 was the implementation of BRDs. Currently, BRD compliance in federal waters is one of the few reasons the TAC stays at 9.12 million pounds.

"There is not a single credible scientist on the state or federal level that supports a 12- million pound TAC," said Hayes. "The battle for access by recreational anglers will be to maintain the existing TAC into the future." With growing involvement by environmental interests in state and federal fisheries management, calls for reduction of the TAC will rapidly outnumber those for an increase or even maintenance of our current quota.

In Closing…

CCA will always support the rights of recreational fishermen within the context of good stewardship of the resource. Without question, recreational anglers have given until it hurts in the red snapper fishery. But as good stewards of the resource, we must continue to balance our fight for reasonable access with foresight into the future growth of this long-lived species.

In1997, Hal Osburn, division director of coastal fisheries for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, prophesized that, "we (recreational anglers) could look back at one month closures as the good old days." Sadly, he was right. Now we face multi-month closures, increased restrictions, and a generally darkening mood among participants in the red snapper fishery. Clearly, no single lawsuit, press release, or even march on the Capitol will solve the red snapper problem. But somewhere between a moratorium and unlimited access dwells the elusive middle ground that will create the proper management of this fishery.