Bilirakis Joins Florida Colleagues to Help Local Fishermen

Statement

Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) today cosponsored H.R. 3521, the Gulf Red Snapper Data Improvement Act.

The Gulf Red Snapper Data Improvement Act would authorize third-party data collection of Gulf reef fish populations to be used for federal stock assessments, through grant funding managed by the National Marine Fishery Service SE Regional Office.

H.R. 3521 would open up communication between NMFS and various stakeholders and seek input from academia, fishermen, and other fisheries experts to improve data collection.

Improvements to data collection will lead to more certainty in management decisions, encourage long-term sustainable access for fishermen and consumers, and ultimately lead to longer Red Snapper fishing seasons for the recreational sectors.

"As a Florida Representative, I understand how important both commercial and recreational fishing are to the Florida economy," said Congressman Bilirakis. "A one size fits all management of the fisheries nationwide is simply not efficient. This legislation will help the fishing industry in Florida's Gulf Coast by allowing state and local data to be used in decision making. This bill encourages transparency, collaboration, and greater access so that fishermen can continue to fish without undue regulations that could cripple the industry."

Source