Book Description
"Recent stock assessments evaluated the condition of the Gulf of Mexico vermilion snapper and yellowtail snapper stocks. Neither stock is overfished or undergoing overfishing. One action of this framework is to set the Annual Catch Limit (ACL) for the vermilion snapper stock. The preferred alternative is no action (maintain the ACL at 3.42 million pounds) because of stakeholder concerns that the stock condition may be lower than indicated by the stock assessment. Another action is to evaluate changing the vermilion snapper bag limit. The preferred alternative is to set a 10-fish vermilion snapper bag limit within the 20-fish reef fish aggregate bag limit, with the intent of capping harvest at current levels. The third action sets the yellowtail snapper ACL. The preferred alternative increased the ACL from 725,000 pounds to 901,125 pounds, consistent with the acceptable biological catch recommendation. Finally, there is an action evaluating the requirement to have and use a venting tool when reef fish fishing. The preferred alternative is to eliminate the requirement providing fisherman more flexibility in how to address barotrauma when releasing fish"--Summary from cover letter.
