October 25, 2006

US cuts red snapper quotas

To avoid the extinction of the red snapper fish species, US regulators said Monday they plan to cut the numbers of red snapper that may be caught by almost 30 percent next year.

Years of overfishing have left so few red snappers that almost none reach full maturity, scientists said.

Red snapper are prized in the seafood industry for their delicate flavor.

Environmental and conservation groups have been pushing to control snapper fishing for more than a decade, but efforts have so far been thwarted by fishing groups.

The new restrictions would not go into effect until next spring and still face a public review process. However, they already are stirring heavy opposition from some influential fishing interest groups.

The annual quota on red snapper would drop by 2.6 million pounds to 6.5 million pounds, according to the new rules being developed by National Marine Fisheries Service. Recreational fishers would be allotted about half of the total quota, and would be limited to two fish per day. Commercial fishers would be barred from fishing once their quota was reached.

Seafood dealers have warned a cut in the quota would drive up red snapper prices in restaurants nationwide.

Meanwhile, the cut is likely to spur more interest in the breeding of the fish in aquaculture. Auburn University in the state of Alabama has delved into research on production of juvenile red snappers and improving the survival rates of juvenile red snappers, including how to train them to consume formulated feed. The university is also producing appropriate feed formulations for the red snapper.