Red Snapper News Stories

“In the last six months, data from Gulf states shows that the recreational fisheries have declined over the last four years. The average size caught is smaller, too. That’s a sign that the population is in distress. When the next stock assessment comes out...I fear more data showing the fishery is not as healthy as it has been.”  - Eric Brazer, Deputy Director 

June 26, 2024

"First and foremost, fisheries management decisions must be based on science, not politics. Especially in mixed-use fisheries here in the Gulf of Mexico." - Gary Jarvis, commercial and charter captain 

June 10, 2024

 "You need to be a good steward of the fishery. The healthier the fish stocks are, the more fish I'll be able to catch. As a commercial fisherman, my livelihood depends on the stock. If the stock is in bad shape, I start losing access to what I can catch." Bubba Cochrane, President 

 "...serial overharvesting happened as the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) failed to develop and approve a viable solution in a timely manner and ignored the advice from NOAA Fisheries’ general counsel that a lack of ‘common currency’ was a violation of MSA,” - Eric Brazer, Deputy Director 

December 6, 2022

 "The “problem” in the reef fish fishery isn’t the commercial IFQ programs. The problem is that the heavily-recreational-leaning Gulf Council and NOAA Fisheries are using outdated information to increase quotas when stocks are declining, then have to reduce quotas when the stock plummets even further."  - Buddy Guindon, Executive Director.

September 12, 2022

 "The “problem” in the reef fish fishery isn’t the commercial IFQ programs. The problem is that the heavily-recreational-leaning Gulf Council and NOAA Fisheries are using outdated information to increase quotas when stocks are declining, then have to reduce quotas when the stock plummets even further."  - Buddy Guindon, Executive Director.

September 12, 2022

"In recent history, commercial and charter fishermen are having a harder time catching fish that they normally catch." - Ashford Rosenberg, Policy Director

August 29, 2022

When the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) met in Corpus Christi last week, commercial and charter fishermen from Texas to Florida packed the meeting room and were unified around a single message – we are seeing warning signs that red snapper have started to decline. 

August 29, 2022

"If you had asked me five years ago if I was worried about red snapper populations in Texas, I would have said 'no.'

But I'm not that optimistic today" - Buddy Guindon, Executive Director.

August 25, 2022