The Importance of Membership

Times are Changing

The fishing industry has convinced regulators to replace old-style derbies with IFQs for red snapper, and grouper will start-up in January. For the first time, we are moving to management that allows us to be real stewards of fisheries and run successful businesses. But, there is still a lot of work to fix our fisheries and protect our interests. The Alliance works with regulators, elected officials, and environmentalists to help commercial IFQ fisheries become an economic and conservation success, and to fend off ever-present threats to progress.

What Membership Does

• Expand commercial IFQs to include vermilion snapper, amberjack, grey triggerfish, yellowtail snapper and king mackerel.
• We have already convinced the Gulf Council to establish a control date and are working with members toward agreement on an IFQ design.
• Explore opportunities with national environmental groups to develop an eco-friendly designation for IFQ fish caught by our members to help us reach new and specialized markets.
• Head-off problems.
• Develop a methodology for allocating (and reallocating) fish between the commercial and sport fisheries. We are already working with the Gulf Council to maintain the commercial share of the catch, and realize the negative impacts caused by reallocation away from well-managed IFQ fisheries to the poorly managed recreational sector.
• Press for real and fast improvements to recreational management, and ensure that the commercial quota does not get cut when sport fishermen exceed their share.
• Commercial fishermen are solving their overcapacity and overfishing problems with IFQs.
• Recreational fisheries today face the same problems (even though many don’t recognize it) and need a management overhaul to achieve conservation and accountability.

Member Support

We sincerely thank those who became early members of the Alliance to help unify commercial fishermen to enhance and protect our industry. With your help, we achieved a first-year operational budget, membership from all Gulf states representing about 45% of the red snapper quota, and a full time executive director to represent Alliance interests. We need your continued support, and many new members, to build and keep the momentum going. The time is NOW for our voices to be heard. We invite you to join the Alliance today.