new snapper regs

[atunatado]

Though I know some who don't fish who would not agree
Let them eat farmed tilapia, they wont know the difference.

[jig]

I ranted about this a bit on 2cool a while back. I cannot understand why we outlawed market hunting over a hundred years ago for the exact same reason, and we have not outlawed market fishing. Fish is a public resource same as game, and no one should be able to privately harvest a public resource to sell for personal profit. IF there is plenty, then I could see a certain amout of commercial harvest allowed, but since there is not this should not even be an issue. I guess it is because we don't have any big proponents now like Teddy back then. Kinda ironic since we have so many more 'enviromentalists' now days.

[ksh9711]

I 2nd that Jig, well said.....

[Fishhead56]

"3. Set cumulative limits per license (rather than daily take limits) on sport fish (like hunting for deer), so that inland fishermen can get their fair share of the sport fishery in the fewer trips they can make and locals don't get the option to take a disproportionate share of sportfish by being eligible for a new limit each day."

I do not know how to take that,
Last day trip I had on the Big E was SEP 30,
Me and 2 of my Boys = $300, Plus another bill for misc...
The trip was 54 miles out.
Local to the coast does not nessasarly mean local to the Sanpper.

Sure I got trout and reds virtualy out my back door, but the nets are gone and the freeze's have been few and the populations are good in the upper coast. (1 Sow trout limit a day is a good deal) . Of the avid bay fishermen
I assocaite with. We release a lot more fish now than decades back and generaly only keep a few for the pan "fresh".

In the 80's & early 90's I would avarage riding on the Capt Casey once a month all year long, Winter times were the most enjoyable. I would like to have those days back. It was simpler time on the water.
But alot of folks north of Conroe were also regulars on these trips along with the Snow birds.

I still feel the commercial harvest, bycatch from drag nets and
all the undersized hooked fish (Rec and Comm) are areas in need of review.

I don't feel even a 2 year Rec. closure would turn the tides on this issue with out also shutting down the by catch waste.

My $.02

Kev

[Fishhead56]

This was my youngest 1st snap on a Jig on Sep 30 and at the time I felt most likley my last trip on the Big E.
Us locals cherish what we are aloud to experience from the sea.
Thats why we choose to make our homes here.

[Snap Draggin]

I have a number you can call. I think the guy to talk to is Peter. He is one of the people in charge of all the regulations BS. He will also give you a web site with a place where you can voice your opinion there. I bent his ear for almost an hour a few days back. I mentioned the abundance of Snapper out of the Sabine Pass Jetties.

He told me that they do most of their studies out of Florida to base the seasons and limits. I asked him if that were as logical as making a nation wide Whitetail Deer bag limit based on a study done in Louisiana. He agreed there were flaws. He is open minded and willing to listen to any comnplaints and comments.

I also mentioned the sea raping commercial scum bags. He said they had more regulations on them than recreational fishermen. My reply to that was that they NEVER follow any regs, nor do they care. I have seen the carnage those vermin do first hand. I am sure there are ethical commercial fishermen. I just have not seen any out of Sabine Pass.

The number is (727) 824-5326. In my opinion the more that call and voice their opinions the better. Please tell everyone and please call and bend his ear like I did. If his name is not Peter (I really think it is though. I am just bad with names) ask for the person in charge of the Gulf of Mexico fishery.