Conservation group backs House hearing on red snapper

The recreational fishing and boating community applauded the U.S. House Resources subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans for its hearing on the Gulf States Red Snapper Management Authority Act.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.) and 28 bipartisan co-sponsors, would grant legal recognition to a plan that the fish and wildlife agencies of all five Gulf states adopted to assume the management of Gulf red snapper in federal waters.

“The five Gulf states demonstrated once again that they are prepared to take over management of the fishery in a more responsible way, Center for Coastal Conservation president Jeff Angers said in a statement.

“The states are already using state-of-the-art monitoring methods that will enable them to ensure the sustainability of the snapper fishery and enable every sector of the fishing community to equitably share in the harvest. Congress should act quickly to pass this important measure that will give legal recognition to the historic cooperative agreement by the fish and wildlife agencies of the five Gulf states ? Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas ? to assume management of Gulf red snapper.

Testimony revealed the ongoing conflict between commercial and recreational anglers.