Conservationists call on lawmakers to reject commercial redfish harvest

The Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana—the states largest marine conservation organization—today called on lawmakers to reject a bill that would allow commercial harvest of red drum (redfish) for the first time since 1988. "We are appalled that anyone would propose reversing 15 years of progress that has been made to bring back redfish stocks. Passage of this bill would be a giant step backward for conservation and a blow to recreational fishing, which represents one of the few economic bright spots for Louisiana ," said Jeff Angers, executive director of CCA. Senate Bill 206 by Sen. Butch Gautreaux, D-Morgan City, would repeal the gamefish status for red drum that the Louisiana Legislature established in 1988 in midst of severe commercial overfishing of that species. Red drum stocks were endangered as a result of the international popularity of Cajun food, especially blackened redfish. Until the ban on commercial fishing of red drum, millions of pounds of the fish were being harvested in the Gulf of Mexico by large commercial operations who shipped much of their catch out of state. The red drum crisis was so severe that the federal government banned all harvest of red drum by both commercial and recreational fishermen in federal waters. That ban continues today, redfish being classified by National Marine Fisheries Service as “overfished.” Louisiana , Texas , Alabama and Florida all ban the commercial harvest of red drum in state waters. If the Louisiana law that protects red drum were repealed, Louisiana and Mississippi would be the only states to permit such commercial fisheries. "Game" status is provided to many fish, fowl and mammals that require protection from commercial fishing or hunting. Recreational hunters and fishermen are allowed to harvest limited numbers of animals protected with "game" status. For example, recreational fishermen are allowed to keep only five red drum per day and these must fall within certain size restrictions. Nearly 70 percent of recreational fishermen, who spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the activity, have listed red drum as their preferred quarry. More than 500,000 anglers engaged in saltwater fishing in Louisiana in 2001, of which 398,000 were state residents and the others were tourists. ”We have no doubt that opening red drum to commercial harvest will reduce their numbers. Weve seen entire fisheries on the west and east coasts of the United States collapse because of commercial overfishing," said Angers . "Allowing that to happen in Louisiana would be environmentally unconscionable and a blow to our economy." Angers said if red drum stocks are reduced to the point where recreational fishermen cannot catch them, then recreational fishing activities will be curtailed. This will lead to reduced revenue for the hundreds of businesses that depend on recreational fishermen, and in turn, will result in less tax revenues to state and local governments. CCA Louisiana President Fred Miller said the organization will employ the full resources of its 30,000 members and volunteers to oppose Senate Bill 206 and a similar measure, Senate Bill 853, also authored by Gautreaux. "Game status for red drum is like mom and apple pie to Louisiana s saltwater fishermen," said Miller. "Were asking our members and all conservationists to make sure that their legislators are aware of the overwhelming public opposition to this bill." A public opinion poll conducted for CCA Louisiana in 1999 showed that voters supported retaining game status for red drum by a better than three-to-one margin.

 

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