Freshman Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.) proposed an amendment in a House Natural Resources Committee meeting last week that would have transferred red-snapper management authority from the federal government to the states.
To the chagrin of recreational-fishing industry leaders, the proposal failed, which means the chief fisheries biologists from each of the five Gulf states won't get what they want, and any significant change in red-snapper management is unlikely for the 2015 season. Last week, NOAA Fisheries announced that private-boat recreational anglers will be limited to a 10-day season this year, while charter-boat operators will have a 44-day season.
Rep. John Fleming, Louisiana's only other representative on the committee, abstained from voting on Graves' amendment, which drew the ire of recreational fishing-industry leaders. In an interview with NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, he explained his reasons for not voting:
Read the full story at Times-Picayune>>
Want to read more about red snapper management? Click here...
