Sensing an opportunity to get it passed, Sen. Mary Landrieu has transformed a red-snapper bill she proposed a year ago into an amendment to the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act being considered by the U.S. Senate this week.

The amendment, originally named the Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Conservation Act, would transfer control of red-snapper stocks from the federal government to the five Gulf-coast states. It was co-authored by Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, and has the backing of all five Gulf-state chapters of the Coastal Conservation Association.

"The old system governing recreational fishing for red snapper is unquestionably broken," Landrieu said in a press release. "If we needed any more proof that Congress needs to pass the (amendment), just look at this year's inexplicably short nine-day season. 

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