Mission Statement:

"To unify and strengthen the reef fish industry, achieve sustainability, and accountability through the use of individual fishing quotas to manage the catch. Members strive to conserve fish by reducing bycatch, protect the marine environment, improve safety, and enhance economic value. They also work with buyers and distributors to give consumers year-round access to high-quality, sustainable seafood."

Background:

The Alliance works for stewardship. Many people who contributed to creating the Alliance also played a key role in the design and implementation of the red snapper IFQ program. With this success, commercial fishermen learned that the industry itself can and should drive positive change in fisheries. With that in mind, the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholder’s Alliance was created in 2008 as a 501 (c)(6), non-profit trade association to represent the interests of fishermen and fish dealers participating in IFQ fisheries in the Gulf.

The Alliance’s mission reflects its commitment to stewardship. It is working to unify and strengthen the reef fish industry. Results so far:

• Efforts include sustainability and accountability using IFQs to manage the catch.
• Members in turn do their part by striving to conserve fish, reduce bycatch, protect the marine environment, improve safety and enhance economic value.
• Members are working with buyers and distributors to give consumers year-round access to high-quality, sustainable seafood.

Activities:

To advance its goals, the Alliance's activities include:

• Represents members before regulators and elected officials.
• Sponsors research
• Facilitates communication among members
• Improves awareness of commercial fishing
• Implements IFQs for all commercial "reef fish," including red snapper, grouper, amberjack and others that favor habitats found among the Gulf’s reefs.
• Pursues new opportunities for building markets and providing consumers with eco-friendly fish.

Goals:

• Extend IFQ management to all commercial reef fisheries
• To build healthy stocks and fishing businesses
• Protect and improve IFQ programs which maintain and increase conservation and economic benefits
• Provide consumers with high quality fish and seek independent eco-friendly certification
• Work cooperatively with recreational fishermen, shrimpers, and other stakeholders to solve problems
• Contribute to research that improves stock assessments and helps reduce bycatch
• Promote accountability and comply with fishery laws and regulations
• Increase awareness of the commercial fishing industry’s contribution to society

On-Going Challenges:

The Alliance is off to a good start with red snapper IFQs and stands ready to face important challenges. Severe overfishing continues in the red snapper recreational sector threatening recovery of the stock that commercial fishermen are now helping save. Other commercial reef fisheries are still operating under “race-for-fish” management resulting in continued threat of overfishing. Unless IFQ’s are implemented rapidly the situation will continue to decline. Scientific and economic data need to be significantly improved to meet the real needs of good fisheries management. Finally, even with mounting scientific and economic evidence of IFQ successes, many people still adhere to old-style management creating conflict between fishermen and regulators.

With its members who are part of the fishing industry and live in Gulf Coast communities, the Alliance is committed and uniquely positioned to help stop overfishing and ensure stewardship of healthy fisheries now and in the future.

Board of Directors:

Following are our Board of Directors for 2010-2012.

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David Krebs- President

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Destin, FL

David has been in the commercial fishing industry for 40+ years and started Ariel Seafoods in 1991.  Ariel Seafoods is a wholesale fish company that operates out of Destin, Florida and Sebastian, Florida and unloads as far west as Louisiana.  He has served on the Red Snapper IFQ AP and has been to New Zealand and British Colombia to study their IFQ Systems.  He was also recently appointed to the Catch Share Ad Hoc AP.  He currently own six commercial boats of which he is fishing two while the Gulf is in a rebuilding phase.  His experience of harvesting and selling fish develops the knowledge that a without a sustainable fishery neither will survive. 

 

Keith “Buddy” Guindon- Treasurer

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Galveston, TX

Buddy has worked in the fishing industry for 30+ years as both a fishermen and fish house owner operator.  He has experience working on both the state and federal levels to assist in the implementation of IFQ’s into the red snapper fishery.  He operates on the level of educating the entire fishing industry on the benefits of sustainable fishing practices to secure the future of Gulf fisheries.


 

Bill Tucker- Secretary

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Dunedin, FL

Bill has served on red snapper and grouper IFQ APs. Serve on Reef fish AP and LAPP AP. Full time fisherman and boat owner since 1985. Active with Gulf Council and FWCC. IFQ advocate. B.S. 1984. Member Shareholder Alliance and worked for the last year to be an advocate for the goals of the organization.




Glen Brooks

Cortez, FL

Glen has been grouper and red snapper fishing for 27 years, own two longliners and four vertical line fishing boats. He is also partners in four additional vessels at A.P. Bell Fish Co. in Cortez Fl.  He serves on the IFQ advisory panel and the new VMS advisory panel for NMFS.  He is currently also president of the Gulf Fishermen’s Association.

 

Jason DeLaCruz

Seminole, FL

Jason is vested in Gulf of Mexico Grouper IFQ catch shares and has hook and line fished commercially in the Gulf of Mexico for 5 years. Jason has been spearfishing commercially in the Gulf of Mexico for 5 years and fished recreationally for over 20 years.  He has been working with scientists at NMFS and the Council during his career and recently participated in a Cooperative Research Program.  Jason is a member of the Vessel Monitoring System Panel (VMS) and as a successful independent business owner is eager to work with the Shareholders’ Alliance in a leadership capacity.

Mark Friudenberg

Freeport, TX

Mark opened his own Seafood Market in 2003 and 90% of his seafood was caught by Gulf Coast fishermen and shrimpers. He was invited to serve on the IFQ advisory panel.  He has been published as a strong advocate of the Gulf Coast fishing industries.  He has been recognized on the both the floor of the house and senate due to his work with the Brazoria County Rotary.  He has held the position of the President of the local chapter of the International Longshoremen Association for 10 years.  He is currently a red snapper shareholder and will be receiving grouper shares in the IFQ programs.  He is also a member of the Shareholders Alliance.

 

Russell Underwood

Lynn Haven, FL

Russell has been instrumental in the preservation Gulf of Mexico Fishing industry. He worked with multiple government agencies in the planning and implementation of the red snapper IFQ program.  He was worked in all aspects of fishery management to protect marine resources to protect our industry for future generations.  He continues to be an industry leader serving on several advisory panels to work with government agencies to assist in determining the future decisions within the Gulf.