By DAVID RAINER
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Alabama’s 2021 red snapper season for private recreational anglers will be different than in previous years. The season opens on May 28 with four-day weekends like last year’s season, but the closing date has not been set. The end of the season will be determined by catch data compiled through the Red Snapper Reporting System, better known as Snapper Check.
“What we’re doing different this year is we’re going to track the private recreational catch through Snapper Check, and when the quota is about to be met, we’ll project a closing date,” said Scott Bannon, Director of the Alabama Marine Resources Division (MRD). “There are so many factors that impact the fishing effort, and that makes it difficult to determine a closure date. We will provide a graph on our red snapper summary page at outdooralabama.com for anglers to see how the effort is progressing. Once we anticipate the quota will be met
Great Red Snapper count may have little impact on 2021 season gulfcoastnewstoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gulfcoastnewstoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Great Red Snapper Count May Have Little Impact on 2021 Season
Last week’s meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council (Gulf Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) yielded mixed results for red snapper anglers.
The SSC voted to partially incorporate the Great Red Snapper Count, which estimated the red snapper population in the Gulf is three times higher than previous estimates, into the Gulf Council management process. However, that action may have little impact on the 2021 red snapper season.
“The Scientific and Statistical Committee is the science advisory panel for the Gulf Council,” said Scott Bannon, Director of the Alabama Marine Resources Division. “The purpose of the meeting was to review the Great Red Snapper Count, provide feedback and decide if it should be used in the interim analysis for red snapper this year and how it should be applied.
Alabama anglers and the state's fishery managers are concerned that federal fishery managers may ignore a new study showing a massive increase in snapper numbers when setting new season and bag limits.
Great Red Snapper Count May Have Little Impact on 2021 Season courierjournal.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from courierjournal.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.