Georgia’s and Florida’s saltwater fishermen and the general public’s comment on the federal proposed regulations including a program in which individual fishermen would have to observe annual limits on catches of many popular fish species. The regulations would affect commercial and recreational fishermen in federal waters from 3 to 200 miles offshore from the North Carolina/Virginia state line south to the Florida Keys.
The federal Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act mandates annual catch limits to prevent overfishing. If the catch limits are exceeded, then the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration can impose a harvest quota or seasonal closure to help the fish population rebound.
Council members said that among the proposed programmes three are most likely to generate the most controversy such as a comprehensive catch share program; commercial trip limits for certain fish; and comprehensive annual catch limits. Several Southeast Georgia saltwater fishing guides and recreational fishermen plan to attend at least one of the meetings. They need to know the information in detail.
Capt. Brooks Good of Coastal Outdoors Adventure and Coastal Cuisine,said that as a fisherman like any other businessman, it’s been difficult to justify staying in business with all of the regulations that are imposed on us. Environmental advocates including the Environmental Defense Fund favor the catch share program.
Local fisherwoman said that catch share programme is more flexibility. She also said that instead of having, for example, a three-month season to fish for a particular species, they would be allowed to fish as long as they don’t exceed their harvest allotment.
