NOAA seeks anglers snapper catch opinion

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service is asking for public comment about a proposed interim rule intended to curb overfishing of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico during the coming year.

The proposed interim rule would

• Reduce the red snapper total allowable catch to 6.5 million pounds (a commercial quota of 3.315 million pounds and a recreational quota of 3.185 million pounds)

• Reduce the recreational bag limit to two red snapper per person per day from the current four per day

• Prohibit the captain and crew of for-hire vessels from claiming part of the recreational bag limit

• Reduce the commercial minimum size limit to 13 inches from 15 inches

• Set a red snapper mortality goal for shrimpers that's equal to half the 2001- 2003 bycatch mortality, and a level of effort equal to that in 2005.

The fisheries service said in a news release that the Gulf of Mexico red snapper stock is overfished and continues to be overfished.

At its August meeting, the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Council delayed action on red snapper until January, when more data are available. However, the fisheries service said delaying action until January will mean no permanent red snapper rules can be enforced until 2008 – which in turn would mean that more stringent limits would have to be set in 2009.

The Gulf Council is due to meet in January. The fisheries service has set the last day for public comment for Jan. 26, 2007, the final day of the scheduled Gulf Council meeting. Written comments must be received by 5 p.m. EST.

Written comments can be sent to Peter Hood, NOAA Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL33701. Fax comments can be sent to (727) 824-5308; e-mail can be addressed to 0648-AT87.Proposed@noaa. gov. E-mail comments should include 0648-AT87 as an identifier in the subject line.

Information on the proposed temporary rule and on red snapper is available at the Southeast Regional Office Web site at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov; electronic copies of the proposed temporary rule as it will be published in the Federal Register on Dec. 16 can be downloaded from http:// www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html.