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  • Response by the CFA to the Introduction of Rep. Garret Graves’ (LA-6) State Management Take-Over Bill

Response by the CFA to the Introduction of Rep. Garret Graves’ (LA-6) State Management Take-Over Bill

19 Jul 2015 2:13 PM | Anonymous

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 16, 2015

MEDIA CONTACT: Executive Director Capt. Shane Cantrell, 512.639.9188

Rep. Garret Graves has filed a bill to have the Gulf States take all three sectors of the Red Snapper fishery out of the landmark Magnuson-Stevens Act. He authored two amendments to this effect earlier this year that were soundly rejected by his colleagues. As the Gulf state fisheries directors have repeatedly voted against the for-hire sector and the millions of Americans who fish on their boats each year, the CFA is adamantly opposed to this effort.

“Charter fishermen across the Gulf of Mexico continue to be opposed to this effort to have the states take over the entire red snapper fishery. Regional management might be a viable solution for the broken private recreational sector, but federally permitted charter boats and the commercial sector operate in federal waters in a multi-species environment and need and want to be left under federal management,” said Captain Shane Cantrell from Galveston, Texas.

“It is a waste of time and tax-payer dollars to create a duplicative process in order to manage one fish in a multi-species, multi-user group fishery. Each state’s fishery agency already has a seat on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the remaining seats are nominated by those 5 state governors. It is clear that ‘state control’ is just a red herring for putting us and commercial fishermen out of business.” said Captain Randy Boggs of Orange Beach, Alabama.

“This is a divisive distraction from achieving real solutions in the fishery. These short derby seasons are punitive and we need to find solutions for private anglers, but we have to do it without hurting the charter and commercial fishermen who provide the other 95% of Americans who don’t own their own boat with access to the fishery,” said Captain Billy Archer of Panama City, Florida.

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The Charter Fishermen’s Association is trade association of charter and head boat fishermen who operate in the Gulf of Mexico. The for-hire fishing sector provides access to millions of recreational fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico every year.

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