The Florida Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association sent out a letter to its members calling for action. “It is outrageous,” said Ted Forsgren, the CCA’s executive director. “Mississippi wants Florida representation reduced to three seats so it can have four. The move is being pushed hard by the commercial fishing industry.”
St. Petersburg
– The state’s leading organization for recreational anglers is up in arms in what it sees as attempt by the State of Mississippito take a seat traditionally held by a Floridian on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.
The move may seem minor to those unaccustomed with the way federal fisheries are managed, but those familiar with the inner workings of the fishery management councils know that one vote can make a big difference, especially when it comes to controversial fisheries such as grouper and snapper.
Every year the National Marine Fisheries Service makes appointments to its eight regional fishery management councils. The system, set up by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, is designed to let state representatives have a voice in how regional federal fisheries are managed.
The Gulf Council, currently struggling with new gag and red grouper regulations, has seventeen members. They include the NMFS’s southeast regional director, the directors of the five Gulf state marine resource management agencies and 11 members are nominated by state governors.
Florida’s “at-large” representative, Julie Morris, must be re-nominated for another term. The state has also submitted three additional names for consideration. But according to documents obtained by the CCA from the NMFS, Mississippi has also submitted five names for the seat currently occupied by Morris, a veteran council member who is seen as sympathetic to conservation issues.
“Mississippi is the only state to submit at-large nominees,” Forsgren said. “Alabama Louisiana and Texas didn’t submit any names. It is obvious what Mississippi is trying to do.”
Forsgren is concerned that the move is designed to minimize Florida ’s influence on the council.
Terry Tomalin, Outdoors Editor
Tight Lines is your online fishing hole. Moderated by Times outdoors editor Terry Tomalin, cast your line here for daily fishing updates, tournament results, updates on regulations and the latest scoop from our select group of Tampa Bay area charter boat captains.
