The National Executive Board of Coastal Conservation Association has voted to intervene on behalf of recreational anglers in a lawsuit filed by Gulf commercial fishing interests against the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Department of Commerce. The lawsuit challenges the National Marine Fisheries Service's policy of managing recreational anglers with seasons, size limits and bag limits in the red snapper fishery.

Following the decision, CCA released this statement:

"This lawsuit was filed by a select few commercial fishermen who profit from the sale of this resource, and they are seeking greater restrictions on the recreational angling sector to protect their privileged position," said Chester Brewer, chairman of CCA's National Government Relations Committee. "It is unfortunate that it is again necessary for us to engage in legal action to prevent recipients of exclusive commercial fishing rights from using the courts to further restrict or potentially eliminate public access to these recreational fisheries. We cannot afford to ignore the threat that this lawsuit poses to all recreational anglers. An elite and privileged class of commercial harvesters cannot be allowed to dictate how recreational fisheries are managed."

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