Red Snapper Fishery Closed

Industry Actions:

6/8/10 - Expanded Fishing Closures in South Atlantic Will Result in Millions in Lost Sales
Bottom fishing ban would affect more than 1,300 businesses with an estimated $78 million in lost sales

Background
On December 3, 2009, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced an interim rule that will prohibit commercial and recreational anglers from fishing for red snapper in federal waters off North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and the Atlantic coast of Florida. The six-month closure became effective on January 4, 2010, with the option of an additional six months. The closure will essentially remain in effect until NMFS approves a long-term fishery management plan, which could include a total bottom-fishing closure in all waters deeper than 98 feet.

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) has provided comments on the proposed rule stating its opposition to the proposed widespread bottom-fishing closure, and expressing its serious concerns with the management of red snapper in the South Atlantic, including the lack of economic data on the impact of the on the recreational fishing industry the proposal. Given the important role that recreational anglers play in fisheries conservation, NMFS should find a balance between fishing restrictions necessary for the conservation of the fishery and economic impact. The red snapper fishery closure is expected to have a severe impact on the recreational fishing community in the southeast, and a full closure to bottom‐fishing could be disastrous.

In a study sponsored by Big Rock Sports, LLC and ASA, Georgetown Economic Services assessed the impact of a ban on all bottom fishing off the south Atlantic coast. Georgetown Economic Services surveyed bait and tackle sellers in the region. The responses to these surveys provided a qualitative description of the bait and tackle industry as well as a measure of the impact of the closures on the revenues, profits, and employment levels of the business in this region.  The data also shows that roughly 1300 stores selling bait and tackle will be directly affected by the proposed bottom fishing ban. These businesses will lose an estimated $78,000,000 in sales in the first year of the ban. This equates to an average loss of $60,000 in sales per store. In addition, the survey found that 578 jobs will be affected.

The full survey report is available here:

• An Economic Impact Study of the Effects of Closures in the South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery on the Bait and Tackle Retail Industry