Houston, TX – In a matter that could have far-reaching consequences for recreational anglers everywhere, Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) finds itself in the unexpected position of debating the definition of "trolling" with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

CCA maintains that dragging a four-pound weight attached to steel line across the ocean bottom at one or two knots does not constitute trolling. NMFS apparently believes that it does. At stake is whether or not recreational anglers will continue to have access to troll for coastal pelagic species such as mackerel and wahoo over two areas currently closed to bottom fishing off west central Florida.

"We have proven that we are willing to accept reasonable regulations to conserve marine resources, but we can’t allow the research that is supposed to support those regulations to be manipulated like this," said Fred Miller, CCA’s National Government Relations Committee Chairman. "Even people who have no fishing experience should be able to recognize the difference between true trolling and dragging baits on the ocean bottom."

In 1999, it was determined that the Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps areas are home to significant spawning aggregations of gag grouper. In order to conserve declining numbers of this species, CCA supported efforts to close those areas to bottom fishing. However, when the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council proposed to ban all fishing in the areas, CCA sued, arguing that extending the closure to include trolling for pelagics near the surface was unnecessary to protect grouper residing 200 to 400 feet below the surface.

In a settlement agreement between CCA and NMFS reached in 2001, NMFS agreed not to ban trolling in the closed areas for billfish until research could be conducted to determine if it is possible for recreational fishermen trolling for mackerel, wahoo and other coastal pelagic species to catch gag grouper. Although the research could have been conducted any time since the settlement agreement was reached in 2001, NMFS just recently released information describing the "trolling" research methods that had successfully caught gag grouper. Those methods included heavy weights, steel line and speeds of one to two knots or less. Not a single coastal pelagic was caught during the research using NMFS’ trolling methods.

"That is not a reasonable method of trolling," said CCA Executive Committee Member Alex Jernigan. "The point of the research was not to find any way to catch a gag grouper using the most abnormal means possible. It was to determine if, under normal circumstances, a recreational fishermen trolling for dolphin or other coastal pelagics could catch grouper and clearly the answer is ‘no.’"

The moratorium on gag grouper in the closed areas will expire in July of 2003, and under terms of the settlement agreement, the trolling research must be completed before the closures can be extended. CCA is eager to avoid any lapse in the protection of gag grouper and is urging NMFS to conduct further research using a more realistic definition of trolling before the deadline.

"We are willing to work with NMFS on this issue. CCA is not opposed to closing areas to recreational fishing as long as there is scientific evidence that demonstrates recreational fishing is part of the problem," said Miller. "We believe the science indicates it is necessary to conserve gag. We simply refuse to be arbitrarily closed out of an area based on faulty research."