Gulf Grouper Anglers Rally Against 'Bad Science'

The science has been call flawed, inaccurate, junk.

About 300 recreational and commercial fishermen united last week outside the National Marine Fisheries Service headquarters in St. Petersburg to protest NOAA and NMFS science that led to a closed gag grouper season in federal waters that began Jan. 1 and will remain intact until at least June 1.

Not only were the anglers who came from places such as North Carolina and Georgia outspoken, they were rather clever.

Some signs read: “Junk Science Smells Fishy,” “NMFS – No More Fishing, Son,” and “No More Fishing Sucks."

This issue is not new.

In January 2008, as the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council prepared to hack into grouper bag limits, more than 100 recreational and commercial fishermen and divers delivered testimonies at a grouper forum in St.Petersburg.

It is hard to argue against the eye-witness account of a diver who sees there are more grouper piled around certain wrecks and reefs than in the past decade.

Many fishers have been pleading for their careers; some fear not being able to provide for their families.

Lisa Weber is one of them. The New Port Richey resident worked in the charter and headboat sector for seven years. She has been unemployed since August 2010.

“The biggest criticism is flawed data,” Weber said. “The science used is outdated and unreliable. Much of the data being used is several years old, meaning that by the time regulations are put in place, the basis of the rule is outdated. NMFS refuses to listen to the fishermen who are actually experiencing things in real time. These regulations are, and will continue to put Floridians out of work, ultimately costing the state billions of dollars ranging in industries from the fisheries to tourism etc."

Representatives from the NMFS have said that grouper populations have been cut in half since 2004 and that there has been long-term overfishing.

Grouper is a high-dollar species for commercial fishermen because of their popularity in restaurants. (Who doesn't love a fresh grouper sandwich?) The science is targeted at protecting grouper so that the species may flourish in the future.

This science comes from fish samples, data collected from fishermen and scientific studies.

So who are we to believe? Science or fishermen? Unfortunately, reality is never simple, and neither is an attempt at estimating the grouper fishery.

But science based on past populations used to set present regulations is not efficient management. This same principle devastated the newspaper industry — today's news delivered tomorrow.

Remember, the "ban" is on gag grouper beyond nine nautical miles offshore. Gas prices have been skyrocketing for years and last week skipped to around $3.50 a gallon locally. Anglers can hardly afford to boat offshore. Rising gas prices is a top-notch grouper regulator in itself.

As if the regulations aren't strict without a six-month closure.

When, or if, gag grouper season re-opens June 1, anglers will be allowed to keep two per day of at least 22 inches in length.

Red grouper season is closed until April 1.

Red snapper is closed until June 1.

Yet, the harvest of goliath grouper is prohibited. For years, goliath grouper have chased and swallowed hooked groupers and snappers. For years, anglers have called for an open season on the goliath grouper as a means to regulate grouper and snapper populations.

For years, the voices of those anglers have been ignored.

The economy, gas prices and escalating goliath gouper nuisance is enough to regulate the grouper fishery for the next couple years.

One thing's certain: Gulf of Mexico anglers will not watch their careers and livelihoods plummet based on what they perceive as flawed data.

Not without a cacophony of voices and a collage of clever signs.