Abstract
Despite a complex management landscape and decades of overfishing, Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) stocks have grown substantially in the Gulf of Mexico and restrictions on the fisheries that catch them are being loosened. This year, annual shrimping effort was allowed to increase by 21% after National Marine Fisheries Service scientists concluded that the resulting bycatch of Red Snapper would only reduce the annual allowable catch in other fisheries by ∼1% and have no impact on population growth. Nonetheless, the recreational fishing sector intensely campaigned against this rule, fueled by wild mischaracterization of shrimp trawl bycatch in media outlets targeting anglers. Here, we aim to elevate the debates surrounding Red Snapper management by presenting scientific and historical context for the potential impacts from shrimping. We discuss our views of the current problems facing Red Snapper and key ecological questions to address for more effective management of this resource.
Highlights
Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is one of the most important and controversial species fished in the United States and is at the nexus of three multimillion-dollar industries: directed recreational fisheries, directed commercial fisheries, and bycatch in commercial penaeid shrimp trawls (Gallaway et al, 2017)
In 2011, the level of shrimp effort reduction required in the index area (Figure 2) was decreased from 74% to 67%. This action increased the cap in shrimp trawling in this area to 27,328 days fished, an increase of 5,787 days fished (a 27% increase in allowable effort) (GMFMC (Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council), 2007)
For the other species we examined, no relationship between abundance and shrimping effort was detected
Summary
Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is one of the most important and controversial species fished in the United States and is at the nexus of three multimillion-dollar industries: directed recreational fisheries, directed commercial fisheries, and bycatch in commercial penaeid shrimp trawls (Gallaway et al, 2017). Directed harvest in commercial and recreational fisheries were managed by reducing the length of the fishing season, size limits, licenses (commercial and for-hire), and bag limits (recreational). Despite these actions, the annual quota for these fisheries tripled between 1990 (3.1 million pounds) and 1996 (9.12 million pounds), where it remained through 2006 (de Mutsert et al, 2008). Shrimping effort continued to fall thereafter, dropping to 92,372 days fished by 2006. Over this period the Red Snapper resource showed limited population growth
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