On January 1, fishery regulators closed all federal waters to the taking of Grouper. Several days later Florida closed all State waters in support of the closure. The ban was instituted to protect Gag Grouper, which had been determined to be over-fished by fishery scientists. The ban however, was extended to all Grouper species, in order to reduce fishing effort in the areas that Gag Grouper generally populate. The grouper closure is the perfect indicator of several developments that are showing the way for future restrictions.
(1) The power and confidence of the bureaucracy is growing rapidly. Commercial fishing has always been easy to control because we have little organizational support, and we have always been perceived to be on the wrong side of the environmental movement. However, it has so far been true that the bureaucracy has been reluctant to do more than tweak the recreational sector, for fear of adverse public reaction.
The grouper closure was in-your-face proof, that even outrage from the powerful recreational industry and connected politicians, will no longer deter the bureaucracy from imposing major new restrictions. Recreational opponents of the ban, were able to garner strong public support, and found several influential politicians to speak on their behalf. Though I was very familiar with the futility of protesting management decisions, even I was surprised when the councils went ahead with the ban in the face of such public protest.
(2) Any fishery can be shut down for any length of time. When the commercial industry was held to the recreational limit of 10 mutton fish per person during a 2 month spawn closure, everyone said “it’s about time!” When Gulf Grouper was closed for a month to the commercial guys, everyone thought it was good, and when we received a 2 month grouper closure in the Atlantic, it was even better. Then, as Riley’s hump, Tortugas Bank, and Pulley’s ridge were each closed to commercial fishing, there was cheering all around.
Through it all, we warned that whatever the commercial industry gets, the recreational will get next. Now we have a 4 month closure on grouper for everyone, and a permanent stoppage on all deep water fishing coming soon. Your head is under a coral ledge if you think there’s not more – much more – coming.
(3) Catch and release is no longer acceptable. For all recreational fishermen and especially charter boats, this should be the most chilling message from the grouper closure. The government shut off all Grouper fishing to protect the Gag, because they now believe the mere catching of a fish irreversibly harms it, and releasing it does not undo the damage. Therefore a total closure was necessary to preclude the possibility of Gags even being hooked.
The South Atlantic Fisheries Council is about to shut off all fishing deeper than 240` to protect Speckled Hind, and Warsaw Grouper. According to federal regulators, the two fish are ‘extremely vulnerable to over-fishing’, and because ‘release mortality is estimated at 100%’, all fishing must be closed to ensure their protection. As a side benefit, they point out that all other deep water fish – which are, or could be, or might be, subject to over-fishing – will also be protected. (By the way. Since there is a 100% release mortality, does it mean we should pitch out those mandatory venting kits?)
The point for the recreational industry is simple. If a grouper is irreversibly harmed by catching it on a hook and line, why should it be any different for a sailfish, marlin, or wahoo? Yes, yes! I know you don’t pull them up from the bottom, so they’re not subject to embolism. But has anyone noticed how exhausted the poor fish are by the time they’re brought to the boat? And what about that blood in the water – especially with the hard fighting pelagics, like wahoo, kingfish, and tuna? I mean, what’s really going on with those capillaries? Then, of course, let’s don’t forget those needle sharp hooks that can rip the mouth, or get hung up in the throat.
I mention this, not to point a finger at recreational fishermen, but to sound the warning for what is sure to come. Catch and release may hold the high ground at the moment, but fishery managers are poised to turn the tables. Look for an innocuous sounding rule, like Catch Release Access Privilege (well maybe not that name – bad acronym), that limits the amount of allowable releases to a very reasonable number. Then watch as the number gets reduced, and video monitors are required to ensure compliance. Of course you may be able to purchase additional release allowances, though you might also be required to pay an impact fee for accidental hook ups.
For anyone who thinks this is just a paranoid Pete talking, I can only say – ‘check the record, and listen closely to what’s being said by fishery managers and scientists’. The recreational Grouper closure may give some commercial fishermen a temporary feeling of payback, but in truth, there is little to be gained by our commercial industry in restricting recreational people. There will be no more fish given to our industry if recreational fishing is further limited, and stopping commercial fishing, will only increase the regulatory pressure on the recreational industry.
Maybe it was just the March on Washington, but there seems to be an increasing feeling in the air, that both industries finally notice that regulators view us each in the same way. Both industries want responsible stock protection, but both want to feel that they have some effective voice in the regulatory process. Right now, I think it’s fair to say that we are feeling ruled over, rather than being treated as real participants in the rule making.
Grouper Closure
Friday, April 23rd, 2010 Posted in Commentary, Industry
On January 1, fishery regulators closed all federal waters to the taking of Grouper. Several days later Florida closed all State waters in support of the closure. The ban was instituted to protect Gag Grouper, which had been determined to be over-fished by fishery scientists. The ban however, was extended to all Grouper species, in order to reduce fishing effort in the areas that Gag Grouper generally populate. The grouper closure is the perfect indicator of several developments that are showing the way for future restrictions.
(1) The power and confidence of the bureaucracy is growing rapidly. Commercial fishing has always been easy to control because we have little organizational support, and we have always been perceived to be on the wrong side of the environmental movement. However, it has so far been true that the bureaucracy has been reluctant to do more than tweak the recreational sector, for fear of adverse public reaction.
The grouper closure was in-your-face proof, that even outrage from the powerful recreational industry and connected politicians, will no longer deter the bureaucracy from imposing major new restrictions. Recreational opponents of the ban, were able to garner strong public support, and found several influential politicians to speak on their behalf. Though I was very familiar with the futility of protesting management decisions, even I was surprised when the councils went ahead with the ban in the face of such public protest.
(2) Any fishery can be shut down for any length of time. When the commercial industry was held to the recreational limit of 10 mutton fish per person during a 2 month spawn closure, everyone said “it’s about time!” When Gulf Grouper was closed for a month to the commercial guys, everyone thought it was good, and when we received a 2 month grouper closure in the Atlantic, it was even better. Then, as Riley’s hump, Tortugas Bank, and Pulley’s ridge were each closed to commercial fishing, there was cheering all around.
Through it all, we warned that whatever the commercial industry gets, the recreational will get next. Now we have a 4 month closure on grouper for everyone, and a permanent stoppage on all deep water fishing coming soon. Your head is under a coral ledge if you think there’s not more – much more – coming.
(3) Catch and release is no longer acceptable. For all recreational fishermen and especially charter boats, this should be the most chilling message from the grouper closure. The government shut off all Grouper fishing to protect the Gag, because they now believe the mere catching of a fish irreversibly harms it, and releasing it does not undo the damage. Therefore a total closure was necessary to preclude the possibility of Gags even being hooked.
The South Atlantic Fisheries Council is about to shut off all fishing deeper than 240` to protect Speckled Hind, and Warsaw Grouper. According to federal regulators, the two fish are ‘extremely vulnerable to over-fishing’, and because ‘release mortality is estimated at 100%’, all fishing must be closed to ensure their protection. As a side benefit, they point out that all other deep water fish – which are, or could be, or might be, subject to over-fishing – will also be protected. (By the way. Since there is a 100% release mortality, does it mean we should pitch out those mandatory venting kits?)
The point for the recreational industry is simple. If a grouper is irreversibly harmed by catching it on a hook and line, why should it be any different for a sailfish, marlin, or wahoo? Yes, yes! I know you don’t pull them up from the bottom, so they’re not subject to embolism. But has anyone noticed how exhausted the poor fish are by the time they’re brought to the boat? And what about that blood in the water – especially with the hard fighting pelagics, like wahoo, kingfish, and tuna? I mean, what’s really going on with those capillaries? Then, of course, let’s don’t forget those needle sharp hooks that can rip the mouth, or get hung up in the throat.
I mention this, not to point a finger at recreational fishermen, but to sound the warning for what is sure to come. Catch and release may hold the high ground at the moment, but fishery managers are poised to turn the tables. Look for an innocuous sounding rule, like Catch Release Access Privilege (well maybe not that name – bad acronym), that limits the amount of allowable releases to a very reasonable number. Then watch as the number gets reduced, and video monitors are required to ensure compliance. Of course you may be able to purchase additional release allowances, though you might also be required to pay an impact fee for accidental hook ups.
For anyone who thinks this is just a paranoid Pete talking, I can only say – ‘check the record, and listen closely to what’s being said by fishery managers and scientists’. The recreational Grouper closure may give some commercial fishermen a temporary feeling of payback, but in truth, there is little to be gained by our commercial industry in restricting recreational people. There will be no more fish given to our industry if recreational fishing is further limited, and stopping commercial fishing, will only increase the regulatory pressure on the recreational industry.
Maybe it was just the March on Washington, but there seems to be an increasing feeling in the air, that both industries finally notice that regulators view us each in the same way. Both industries want responsible stock protection, but both want to feel that they have some effective voice in the regulatory process. Right now, I think it’s fair to say that we are feeling ruled over, rather than being treated as real participants in the rule making.