(update - November 24, 1999) - 
The National Marine Fisheries Service is proposing an opening date for the 2000
recreational red snapper season of April 21 rather than April 15 to accomodate reinstating the red snapper bag
limit for captain and crew of recreational for-hire vessels. The closing date and other proposed measures 
remain under consideration as stated below. 
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(posted November 12, 1999) - The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, at its November meeting in
Orlando, Florida, reviewed a new red snapper stock assessment prepared by the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), as well as recommendations from the Council's Reef Fish Stock Assessment Panel,
Socioeconomic Panel, and Red Snapper Advisory Panel. The Council also listened to public testimony from 22
individuals representing recreational fishermen, charter and headboat operators, commercial fishermen, seafood
dealers, and conservation groups. 

Based on the input received at the meeting, the Council decided to maintain the existing red snapper total
allowable catch (TAC) of 9.12 million pounds each year for the years 2000 and 2001, pending an annual review of
the assessment. This TAC is allocated between the recreational and commercial fisheries based on the historical
levels of catch during 1979-1987, with 49 percent (4.47 million pounds) allocated to the recreational fishery and 51% (4.65 million pounds) to the commercial fishery. The commercial quota is further subdivided into a Spring sub-quota with two thirds of the allocation (3.1 million pounds) and a Fall subquota with the remaining third (1.55  million pounds), adjusted for any over or under harvest during the Spring. 

The Council also proposed setting the recreational red snapper minimum size limit at 16 inches total length. This
size limit will help to slow the harvest rate and extend the recreational season compared to the previous 15-inch
minimum size limit, while reducing the high levels of release mortality that the Council was told occurred in some
parts of the Gulf during the temporary implementation of an 18-inch size limit in 1999. 

The 4-fish recreational red snapper bag limit will be retained for 2000, and the Council has proposed reinstating
the bag limit allowance for captain and crew of for-hire (charter and headboat) vessels. NMFS recently approved a previous Council proposal to set a 0-fish red snapper bag limit for captain and crew of for-hire vessels beginning in 2000 to help extend the recreational season. However, NMFS analyses indicated that the measure will only extend the season by approximately 3 to 5 days, and the Council did not feel that the few additional fishing days justified eliminating a segment of the fishing population from being allowed to retain their recreational catch. 

The Council proposed setting a fixed recreational red snapper season for the year 2000 of April 15 through
October 31 in order to alleviate uncertainties associated with a quota closure at an unknown future date, and to
provide recreational red snapper fishing at a time when it will provide the greatest benefits to all Gulf Coast
fishermen. NMFS projected that these dates would result in the recreational fishery to filling its year 2000 quota
under the 16-inch minimum size limit, 4-fish bag limit, and 0-fish red snapper bag limit for captain and crew of
for-hire vessels. They are subject to revision once NMFS analyzes the impact of reinstating the bag limit for
captain and crew of for-hire vessels. However, the final opening and closing dates will be announced prior to the opening of the 2000 recreational red snapper season.