Latest news with #FisheryManagementPlan
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kemp joins Florida, South Carolina request to directly manage fish populations instead of feds
Gov. Brian Kemp joined a request from Florida and South Carolina governors Ron DeSantis and Henry McMaster to move management of fish populations to the state. Specifically, the three governors sent a letter to U.S. Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick requesting that the states handle management of red snapper and other reef fish populations found in the Atlantic Ocean. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] "As we work with the administration to cut red tape and empower states to do what is best for our people, Governor Ron DeSantis, Governor Henry McMaster, and I are requesting state management of red snapper and other reef fishes in the Atlantic," Kemp said in a statement. 'Our fishing industry has suffered under heavy handed federal regulations imposed by bureaucrats thousands of miles away. It's time this industry is managed much closer to home!' TRENDING STORIES: Lyft driver taken hostage at Dawson County Sheriff's Office Atlanta rent prices down 1% compared to 2024, but rose month-to-month Acworth police save life of man choking on water bottle cap using LifeVac device In terms of what the states want to do, the governors said the current management of fish populations are 'driven by flawed data and regulations that threaten the economies of our coastal communities.' While the states are 'committed to helping our recreational fishing communities,' the governors said they are also working to conserve fisheries as resources for future generations. 'The first step to correcting course on federal mismanagement is to stop the harmful impacts of Amendment 59 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region,' the three officials said in their letter. The letter lays the blame on 'decades of inaction by career bureaucrats within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,' as well as actions taken at the end of the Biden Administration, which 'cut-off public access to the fishery' and have made it harder for communities to 'exercise their God-given right to fish and support their local economies and way of life.' Kemp and his fellow governors said the red snapper population is no longer being over-fished and as a result, they would like a large increase to the quota allowance for fishing the species, due to their current level of 'unprecedented abundance.' [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
McMaster, 2 others ask U.S. Commerce secretary to allow states to manage red snapper fishing
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — The governors of South Carolina, Florida and Georgia have asked the U.S. Commerce secretary to allow states to manage red snapper and other reef fisheries in the South Atlantic. In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Govs. Henry McMaster, Ron DeSantis and Brian Kemp said that 'federal management is driven by flawed data and regulations that threaten the economies of our coastal communities.' Governors' red snapper letterDownload 'Our states are committed to helping our recreational fishing communities, while also conserving our fisheries resources for generations,' the letter said. 'The first step to correcting course on federal management is to stop the harmful impacts of Amendment 59 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region.' McMaster's office also sent a letter to Lutnick on May 15, citing changes that were made by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at the end of the Biden administration and asking the government to 'remove the barriers to offshore recreational fishing they create.' New South Carolina law allows recreational red snapper-grouper species fishing year-round The governors' letter says there are 8,500 miles of shoreline along the combined Atlantic coastlines that support each state's 'economic competitiveness and quality of life.' The letter also says there is an 'unprecedented abundance of red snapper' and that overfishing is no longer an issue. McMaster's office says the state's recreational fishing and boating industries are responsible for more than 27,000 jobs and $6.5 billion in economic impact. The state has 725,000 licensed anglers, nearly 500,000 registered boats and more than 640 businesses that rely on 'healthy marine access.' In a post on X, formerly Twitter, DeSantis, said his Florida's red snapper stock has 'flourished' since the state took over control of Gulf red snapper management, with the season growing from three to 127 days. 'Expanding state management would be a boon to Florida's local residents and anglers on the Atlantic coast,' DeSantis said. The South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance also criticized the Biden-era rules on Wednesday. 'Three governors have identified the same problem: federal mismanagement of red snapper has held back our anglers and coastal communities for too long, relying on flawed science,' the group said in a news release. 'The leadership of Governors McMaster, Ron DeSantis, and Brian Kemp in demanding state management of red snapper in the South Atlantic is not just timely—it's essential. We know what our waters look like and see the abundance firsthand. State-led management, built on real science, local insight, and accountability, works. The Gulf's success proves it.' * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
