Duval Times

The House Natural Resources Committee has voted to advance H.R. 4587, also known as the Red Snapper Act. The bill, reintroduced by Congressman John Rutherford, aims to prevent the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from implementing area closures in the South Atlantic until the completion of the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count.

Congressman Rutherford has been working towards securing funding for the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count since 2020. This independent study focuses on gathering new and reliable data on the abundance, genomics, and mortality of the red snapper stock by 2025.

The concerns surrounding the number of red snapper encounters and discards have increased due to the growing abundance of the species. Fishery managers have considered area closures on bottom fishing to reduce discards. However, NOAA recently acknowledged the high level of uncertainty in their data on fishing effort and discard mortality.

The implementation of widespread bottom closures would not only jeopardize Florida's fishing economy, which contributes $13.9 billion to the national economy, but also fail to address overfishing effectively.

Upon the committee's passage of H.R. 4587, Congressman Rutherford expressed his gratitude and stated, "The Red Snapper Act will address longstanding management concerns held by thousands of anglers across Florida and the South Atlantic and will help support our nation's local economies." He also thanked House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman, committee members, cosponsors, and advocates for their role in moving the legislation forward.

Chairman Bruce Westerman highlighted the importance of fact-based data in promoting responsible environmental policy. He stated, "H.R. 4587 prevents the Biden administration from implementing erroneous and burdensome regulations on red snapper fishing without the proper science to back them up." He also acknowledged the benefits of the bill for commercial and recreational fishermen who depend on these resources.

The Red Snapper Act has received endorsements from various organizations, including the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, and the Center for Sportfishing Policy.

Martha Guyas, the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) Southeast Fisheries Policy Director, emphasized the importance of using the best science to inform South Atlantic snapper-grouper management. She stated, "The Red Snapper Act is key in ensuring that the best science is used to inform South Atlantic snapper-grouper management, rather than rushing into hasty, job-killing decisions." Guyas also expressed concerns about the potential catastrophic impact of widespread closures on Florida's recreational fishing industry.

Jessica McCawley, Director of FWC's Division of Marine Fisheries Management, thanked Congressman Rutherford for his leadership on the legislation. McCawley emphasized the economic importance of the snapper grouper fishery to Florida and the need for up-to-date and independent data before making management decisions. She praised the Red Snapper Act for preventing closures until all the necessary data has been analyzed.

The Red Snapper Act has gained significant support in Congress, with cosponsors including Representatives Neal Dunn, Garret Graves, Michael Waltz, Earl "Buddy" Carter, Mario Diaz-Balart, Nancy Mace, Jeff Duncan, Austin Scott, Maria Elvira Salazar, Laurel Lee, William Timmons, Scott Franklin, Greg Steube, Byron Donalds, and Daniel Webster.

The approval of H.R. 4587 by the House Natural Resources Committee marks a significant step towards ensuring the use of reliable data in the management of the red snapper fishery. This legislation aims to protect the fishing economy of Florida and support responsible environmental policy.

To find out more, go to this link: https://rutherford.house.gov/media/press-releases/rutherfords-red-snapper-act-approved-natural-resources-committee