Red Snapper Success Story

Fishermen have pursued red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico for more than 125 years. This popularity has come at a high price. Over the years, poor management and unsustainable fishing practices dramatically depleted this once-abundant resource.Red snapper in the Gulf suffered from two major problems: First, managers allowed fishermen to catch numbers well above the levels recommended by scientists. And second, too many smaller red snapper were killed as bycatch, either caught as juveniles in nets meant for shrimp or caught by fishermen seeking red snapper but discarded because they were too small. The combination resulted in overfishing (catching fish faster than they can reproduce), which reduced the breeding population to under three % of their historical natural levels.After years of work, the Gulf fishery management council unanimously approved a plan in the summer of 2007 that sets a science-based limit on how many red snapper fishermen are allowed to catch and greatly reduces bycatch levels. These measures are aimed at ending overfishing, rebuilding the red snapper population to a healthy level, and improving the Gulf's ecosystem and coastal economies. Under the terms of the plan, overfishing of red snapper is expected to end in 2009.Early signs on the water indicate that the rebuilding plan is working. Red snapper populations are increasing and fish are returning to places where they haven't been seen in a generation. Now a model for science based management, red snapper shows us that the right management decisions today lead to a better fishery tomorrow. A population health assessment is scheduled for the Fall of 2009 that should show progress towards rebuilding.Ocean Conservancy