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CCA
Files Suit Over Grouper Closure “NMFS’
action to close the entire grouper fishery is illegal and unnecessary to
conserve and maintain red grouper in the Gulf,” said David Howton, chairman of
CCA Florida. Estimated
recreational catch of red grouper jumped from 1.536 million pounds in 2003 to
3.53 million pounds in 2004, an unprecedented increase that is even more suspect
considering that four major hurricanes hit Florida in 2004, greatly reducing the
amount of time anglers spent on the water. Early recreational catch numbers for
the first four months of 2005 are back in line with 2003 levels. However,
in response to the 2004 survey numbers for red grouper, NMFS implemented interim
measures last month reducing the red grouper bag limit to one fish,
reducing the aggregate bag limit for 12 other species of grouper from five to
three, and placing a total closure on the recreational harvest of
all grouper species for the months of November and December. The
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) disagreed with NMFS’
conclusion and has implemented no changes to state rules governing the
management of red grouper. CCA agrees with the FWC that the rules are
unnecessary and brought this action because the measures exceed the authority of
the Secretary under the Magnuson Act. CCA
has asked the court to expedite its analysis in order to ensure that a federal
district court will have the opportunity to determine the legality of the
Secretary’s action before the closure goes into affect. “In
order to obtain justice and ensure NMFS complies with the legal mandates that
Congress gave it, the court must review the action before the first of
November,” said Ted Forsgren, executive director of CCA Florida. “We
will continue to work with NMFS and the |
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