Alabama lawmakers help secure red snapper season expansion
Alabama anglers have something to celebrate this week — after months of debate on both the Gulf Coast and Capitol Hill, the United States Department of Commerce on Wednesday announced an extension of the federal red snapper season. Red snapper fishing will now be open in federal waters for recreational fishermen every weekend between now and Labor Day, resulting in a 39-day season. This will include Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, as well as July 3rd and 4th and Labor Day. Last month, NOAA Fisheries approved a recreational season of three days — June 1-3, which fishing enthusiasts decried as being far too short. Alabama lawmakers quickly took action reaching out to federal officials to lengthen the season, which was the shortest ever in the Gulf of Mexico. Among those taking action was ardent red snapper advocate Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne. Byrne led his Gulf Coast House colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Ross requesting an emergency extension of the recreational season. “This is a huge victory for recreational fishermen and our Gulf Coast communities,” said Byrne. “As soon as the three day season was announced, my staff and I went to work with other Gulf Coast congressmen to fight for an emergency extension. Today’s announcement will provide some much needed relief to our fishermen and help benefit our economy in Coastal Alabama.” He continued, “I want to thank President Trump, Secretary Wilbur Ross and the staff at the Department of Commerce for their attention to this issue. I also cannot say enough about Chris Blankenship at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources because he played a critical role in helping get all the Gulf states on board with this extension.” Meanwhile, in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Luther Strange also sent a letter to President Donald Trump on behalf of Alabama’s recreational anglers, asking for an extension. “Today’s extension is reassuring news for these Gulf Coast anglers and those of us fighting to let their voices be heard,” said Strange. “It was important to take action when the three-day season was announced, and I remain committed to making sure that the Gulf’s abundance is accessible to recreational fishermen and the coastal communities they call home.” In order to facilitate the emergency extension, state Red snapper seasons have now been brought in line with the new federal season for recreational anglers. The “for-hire” or charter boat season will remain 49 days, as it runs through July 19th. “Ultimately, a long-term solution is needed that benefits all Gulf fishermen. I will continue to work with Secretary Ross and my Gulf State colleagues to allow further access to this abundant resource,” added Sen. Richard Shelby. Gov. Kay Ivey also played a large part in helping see an extension through. On June 2, she sent a letter to Trump asking him to review the data collected by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and to consider elongating this year’s red snapper season. She specifically requested that the 2017 Gulf of Mexico red snapper private recreational season in federal waters be open for 39 more days than originally provided by the federal agency. She also spoke to the President about her request while attending a summit at the White House on June 8. “I am proud to report that President Trump and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross have granted my request to extend the federal red snapper season,” Ivey said. “The announcement comes after twice last week, once through a letter and once in person while at the White House, I asked President Trump to add to the season.” Wednesday’s announcement follws an agreement reached between Department of Commerce (which has jurisdiction over federal fisheries) and the fishery managers from the five Gulf states: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. “This is an historic collaboration with the Department of Commerce and the five Gulf states to reset the framework of federal red snapper management,” said Chris Blankenship, Acting Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “Secretary Ross and his staff have been very open. This accord is only for the 2017 season, but we are diligently working with our Congressional delegation and the Department of Commerce for a long-term fix.” Fishermen are reminded that they are still required to report their red snapper harvest through the Alabama Snapper Check Program. The data collected through the program the past three years were critical in securing the additional red snapper fishing days. Only one report is required per vessel trip, and anglers can provide details via a smartphone app available under “Outdoor Alabama” in the iTunes or Google Play app stores, online at outdooralabama.com, or by paper forms available at select coastal public boat launches.
Bradley Byrne, Gulf colleagues ask Trump Administration for longer red snapper season
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives aren’t giving up on their fight to extend the number of days for the 2017 red snapper season in federal waters. On Monday, Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, along with four other Members of Congress representing districts on the Gulf Coast, sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross urging him to extend the number of days. Currently, the season is scheduled to run from June 1-3, making it the shortest red snapper season ever in the Gulf of Mexico. “A three day red snapper season is simply not acceptable, especially given how many red snapper there are in the Gulf right now. Anyone who knows anything about Gulf Coast fisheries would agree that the red snapper fishery is incredibly healthy,” Byrne said of his request. “By bringing other Gulf Coast Congressmen together, I am hopeful we can get the Trump Administrative and Secretary Ross to provide some relief for our recreational fishermen ahead of the 2017 federal season.” In asking for a longer season, the Gulf Coast congressmen — Louisiana-Republican Garrett Graves, Texas-Republicans Randy Weber and John Carter, and Mississippi-Republican Steven Palazzo — pointed to the inaccurate data the National Marine Fisheries Service used to set the 2017 data. “Our recreational fishermen are being penalized by NOAA for a statistical anomaly,” the letter stated. “Currently, NOAA’s data says that recreational fishermen exceeded last year’s quota by 129,906 pounds. However, 129,000 pounds represents less than .02 percent of the recreational quota.” Read the full text of the letter below: Dear Secretary Ross, We write today to express our disappointment in the recent announcement from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of a three day recreational Red Snapper season. It is unacceptable. We ask that you reevaluate this decision and extend the number of days for the 2017 season. On March 21st, we wrote to you about the importance of access to adequate fishing resources in the Gulf of Mexico, and namely Red Snapper. You responded that the Red Snapper fishery is a high priority for you and your department, and therefore it is time for more than three days. Our recreational fishermen are being penalized by NOAA for a statistical anomaly. Currently, NOAA’s data says that recreational fishermen exceeded last year’s quota by 129,906 pounds. However, 129,000 pounds represents less than .02 percent of the recreational quota. This decision has no bearing on the health of the stock, and there is no chance NOAA is representing the number with any degree of accuracy. At the state level, we continue to see report numbers that do not match NMFS’s data, caused by the lack of real-time information. For example, in Alabama, preliminary estimates for 2016 show a total of approximately 821,000 pounds counted by Alabama’s Snapper Check Program. NOAA’s estimates for the same time show approximately 2 million pounds accounted for. Mississippi’s data shows the opposite problem. According to data from Mississippi’s Tails n’ Scales Program, almost 40,000 pounds were accounted for, yet NOAA’s data claims there were zero pounds taken. It is time for recreational anglers to stop being penalized for NOAA’s bad science and lack of coordination. In short, there is serious doubt that federal data is accurately reflecting the number of Red Snapper in the Gulf. For that reason, we feel revaluating your agency’s decision for the 2017 season is warranted, and we urge you to continue working with us to develop a long-term solution to address these issues impacting our recreational fishermen and coastal communities. Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to hearing from you.
Bradley Byrne: Fight continues for longer red snapper season
We are blessed to live in a part of the world known for our beautiful scenery, abundant natural resources, and marvelous waterways. It is easy to see why my family has not left Southwest Alabama since my great, great, great grandfather settled here in the 1780s. A critical part of our local culture is the Gulf of Mexico, including a wide range of fish that call the Gulf home. Like so many others, my family has gone fishing in the Gulf for as long as I can remember. Given how important fishing is to so many, I was incredibly frustrated to learn that this year’s Red Snapper season in federal waters will only be three days. That is simply not acceptable and a further indication of how poorly the federal government is managing the Red Snapper fishery. During a recent House Oversight Committee hearing on Red Snapper, I pointed out that preliminary estimates done by the state for 2016 show a total of approximately 821 thousand pounds of Red Snapper caught in waters off of the Alabama coast. Federal estimates for the same time show approximately 2 million pounds accounted for. Mississippi’s data shows the opposite problem. According to data from Mississippi’s Tails n’ Scales Program, almost 40,000 pounds were accounted for, yet federal data claims there were zero pounds. The system is completely broken. Since being elected to Congress, I have made Red Snapper a top priority. We passed a bill out of the House in 2015 that would have repealed the quota system and given the Gulf states control over the data collection and stock assessments. I personally wrote and championed these provisions with the support of other Gulf Coast colleagues. While we succeeded in getting the bill out of the House, I was very disappointed the Senate failed to even take up the bill. I want to be clear: Red Snapper is not an issue that just comes up once a year in my office. In fact, we work year round to increase awareness, build support, and push for a permanent solution. We are utilizing a strategy focused on both an administrative and legislative solution. First, I am hopeful that under President Donald Trump we can get some relief. President Trump is a big believer in rolling back regulations and getting the government out of the way. There is no better example of big government micromanagement and failure than the Red Snapper issue. With a new director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which oversees the National Marine Fisheries Service, I hope we can get back to longer seasons, more local data, and a balanced system that actually works. Second, I am going to continue working with my Gulf Coast colleagues on legislation to fix the system and get us longer seasons for recreational fishermen. Discussions are actively ongoing about a legislative solution that tackles this issue head on and gives more control to the individual Gulf states. We did receive a bit of good news. With the help of Senator Richard Shelby, we were able to secure a permanent expansion of state waters out to nine miles Gulf-wide. In the past, some Gulf states had state waters out to nine miles while others, like Alabama, only had three miles of state waters. Permanently expanding the state waters to nine miles for Red Snapper will provide parity among the Gulf states and give important certainty to our fishermen as they work to further build up the artificial reef system in state waters. The fight for a longer Red Snapper season continues, and I am more emboldened than ever before to get us a solution. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Bradley Byrne urges continuation of nine mile state waters for red snapper
In December 2015, the federal government passed its annual omnibus spending bill, which included a provision to extend Alabama’s state waters from three nautical miles to nine nautical miles for 2016. The move aligned the state waters of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana with the state waters for Florida and Texas. On Tuesday, Alabama 1st District U.S. Congressman Bradley Byrne announced he recently sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee urging the Committee to once again include a provision in the government funding bill to expand state waters in the Gulf of Mexico to nine miles for Red Snapper fishing. The language in the previous budget made the nine-mile extension valid through Fiscal year 2016, which ended September 30, 2016, requiring an extension to be valid in the 2017 fishing season. “As we prepare for the upcoming Red Snapper season, it is critically important that state waters remain out to nine miles,” explained Byrne. “Changing this provision just weeks before the season starts would create unnecessary uncertainty and confusion for our local fishermen.” Congressman Byrne continues to advocate for a long-term solution that gives more control over Red Snapper to the individual Gulf states instead of to the federal government. By giving states control over the data collection and stock assessments, Byrne believes we can get back to a full season again. He continued, “This solution alone is not enough to fix the larger Red Snapper issue, but continuing to have state waters out to nine miles is an important step in the right direction. I will continue working with my Gulf Coast colleagues to advance commonsense legislation that fixes this issue once and for all.” The full text of Byrne’s letter to the Appropriations Committee can be found below. Dear Chairman Culberson: As you and the Committee draft a funding bill for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2017, I urge you to include language from previous appropriations bills that extends the boundaries of state waters in the Gulf of Mexico to nine nautical miles for Red Snapper fishing. There continues to be serious concerns about the ability of the federal government to adequately manage the Red Snapper fishery in the Gulf. Efforts remain under way to find a long-term legislative solution to improve the way we gather data and information on the Red Snapper population and landings. These efforts also include a permanent extension of state waters out to nine nautical miles for Red Snapper fishing, which would bring parity to all the Gulf states. While these efforts continue, it is vitally important the Committee once again include a provision allowing for state waters to be extended. Without the inclusion of this provision, there would be great uncertainty among fishermen and access to the abundant Red Snapper fishery would be further reduced. Red Snapper fishing is about more than just the fishermen. The issue is of critical importance for the economies of coastal communities all along the Gulf Coast, including communities in my district. Ultimately, I urge the Committee to once again include this provision in any Appropriations bill as we continue working toward a permanent, long-term solution. I appreciate your attention to this critical issue.
Richard Shelby praises NOAA announcement of red snapper assessment
Last month Alabama wildlife officials came out saying the federal government is still overestimating the amount of red snapper caught in the Gulf of Mexico. According to a report from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the federal government is “significantly overestimating” the harvest of red snapper by fishermen in Alabama. In 2016, Alabama Wildlife Officials projected 1.5 million pounds of red snapper were caught between charter boats and recreational fishermen, whereas the government said 2.7 million pounds of snapper were landed in Alabama the same year. Thus, the annual catch season was limited to only nine days in July, dramatically impacting fishermen. On Tuesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced it is providing $9.5 million for an independent and external assessment to determine which figures are accurate and the total abundance of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. Alabama’s senior U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS), calls the announcement a “critical step” toward fishing reform. “Today’s announcement by NOAA is a critical step towards much-needed reform to the way fish are counted in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Shelby. “These efforts will help ensure that NOAA counts red snapper where they actually live – on reefs.” In the fiscal year 2016 CJS Appropriations bill, Shelby included both funding and guidance for an assessment of red snapper Gulf-wide. This evaluation includes an examination of the population of red snapper on reefs and the new technologies available to more accurately count the fish. Results from this independent study will be compared to NOAA’s internal estimates and will be used in future Gulf fisheries management decisions. “I’m pleased that this assessment will provide an independent check on NOAA’s internal counts for red snapper in the Gulf, which is long overdue,” added Shelby. “My goal has always been, and will continue to be, to get our Gulf fishermen more days out on the water.” Fishing for red snapper: B-Roll: Red Snapper – Gulf of Mexico, Recreational Fishing from NOAA Fisheries on Vimeo.
Alabama business roundup: Headlines from across state – 6/1/16 edition
Which Alabama retailers will be feted by the National Retail Federation? What sized companies are on the rise in Alabama? Answers to all of these questions and more in today’s business roundup: Birmingham Business Journal: Alabama News Center: Ready for red snapper? Alabama looks to bigger catch from longer season, expanded waters A longer state red snapper season and expanded state waters where anglers can fish are expected to provide a boost to the coastal tourist economy this summer. “It should be good for our bottom line,” said Mike Giannini, one of the owners of J&M Tackle on Canal Road in Orange Beach. “It’ll increase fuel sales, ice sales, bait sales, tackle sales, just about everything.” Red snapper season will be open in Alabama waters from Friday, May 27, through July 31, giving anglers two full months to fish. Last year, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama attached an amendment to the General Fund budget that extends state waters for Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana to nine miles from the coast for the purposes of managing reef fish, including snapper. The move aligned the state waters of those three states with the state waters for Florida and Texas. Before this year, the federal government recognized Alabama’s authority only over waters extending three miles from the coast. The expanded territory is important to anglers. “It makes a big difference when it comes to the amount of structure available to fishermen to fish,” said Chris Blankenship, director of Alabama’s Division of Marine Resources. Snapper are good to eat and relatively easy for anglers to locate. That has made them what Herb Malone, president and CEO of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism, calls Alabama’s “flagship fish.” “Anybody with a boat who knows how to use a GPS can find snapper,” Malone said. Alabama’s artificial reef system Snapper are reef fish. They live around structure whether natural, like rocks or coral, or manmade, like sunken ships or concrete rubble. Alabama has few natural reefs off its tiny coast and had few if any snapper before about 35 years ago. Beginning in the late 1970s, the state and private individuals sank ships, tanks and armored vehicles, concrete pyramids and rubble off the coast. It now has the largest artificial reef system in the country, and upward of 35 percent of the total snapper catch in the Gulf of Mexico comes off the Alabama coast. The longer season and expanded state waters “is going to be huge for us,” said Mark Russo, manager of Sam’s, a store on Canal Road in Orange Beach that caters to fishermen. “Now that we’ve got the longer season, we need to put more structure in the nine miles controlled by the state.” Read the rest of the article here. AL.com: Alabama business optimism improves as 2016 progresses Business confidence rose to 55.1 on the second quarter 2016 Alabama Business Confidence Index™ (ABCI) survey, conducted by the Center for Business and Economic Research in UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce. The index increased 2.1 points and closed at its highest level in three quarters. That said, panelists are now less optimistic than a year ago when the ABCI registered 57.6. Note that an index value above 50 indicates a positive outlook. Panelists continue to see expansion in the Alabama economy, but are less optimistic about the national economy. The outlook for the state economy rose to a quite confident 56.4, while the national economy index remained near the neutral mark at a slightly positive 50.9. Overall, business executives expect the state’s economy to continue expansion in the second quarter of 2016. At 56.4, the index is up 4.4 points from last quarter, but down two points compared to a year ago. Almost 38 percent of panelists expect stronger economic growth this quarter and approximately 51 percent expect the state’s economy to perform about the same as last quarter. Every industry indicator moved higher on the survey and all remain positive. The sales index again tops the list at 59.8, while expectations for capital expenditures, hiring, and profits all rose to easily positive readings. Firms in financial services, construction, miscellaneous services, and professional services are the most optimistic this quarter, all posting index levels of 56.0 or more. Retailers, however, continue to see the economic environment as a negative. The four largest metro areas all posted positive readings, even as confidence declined by 2.1 points in Mobile. Confidence increased in Birmingham-Hoover, Huntsville and Montgomery. Montgomery enjoys the highest confidence among the large metros with an index of 57.3. The mixed, but mostly positive sentiment of ABCI panelists in a broad range of industries supports the recent 2016 forecast from the Center for Business and Economic Research. CBER expects the state’s economic growth to slow down slightly from 2.4 percent in 2015 to 2.3 percent this year. Employment growth is forecasted to decelerate from around 1.2 percent in 2015 to 1.0 percent in 2016, while tax revenues are forecasted to rise 2.7 percent in FY2016 compared to last year’s 3.3 percent increase. Report: Results of the second quarter 2016 ABCI survey are available at http://cber.cba.ua.edu/ABCI. The survey, which is in its 15th year, was completed online March 1-15 by 258 Alabama business executives. Alabama News Center: Alabama retailers Bromberg and Shea to be feted by National Retail Federation The National Retail Federation is recognizing Alabama Retail Association Chairman Ricky Bromberg, president of Bromberg and Co. in Birmingham, and board member Terry Shea, co-owner of Wrapsody in Hoover and Auburn, for their contributions to advocacy. They are among “America’s Retail Champions.” Bromberg and Shea flew to Washington, D.C., this week to take part in NRF’s Retail Advocate’s Summit. The America’s Retail Champions program, now in its third year, honors retailers who make their mark on public policy debates affecting the industry. Bromberg and Shea are among 41 small business retailers throughout the country to be named as a 2016 champion, and are in the running to be named as a finalist and honored as the America’s Retail Champion of
Alabama politicians lament 9 day Red Snapper season: It’s a ‘disgrace’
Congressman Bradley Byrne, Republican of the state’s first district, which encompasses Alabama’s two gulf counties, and State Auditor Jim Zeigler both spoke out Wednesday against the continuation of a federally-imposed nine day Red Snapper season. “A nine day Red Snapper season is a disgrace for Alabama’s fishermen,” wrote Byrne in a press release Wednesday. “This type of ‘derby-style’ season poses serious challenges and puts the safety of our fishermen at risk. There are plenty of Red Snapper in the Gulf, but the federal government continues to do a terrible job of counting the number of fish, as well as the number caught each year. The season, which will run this year from June 1st-June 10th is decided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The administration makes the determination yearly based on “scientific studies of the Gulf and past catches of red snapper.” For-hire charter fishing boats will have a longer season, lasting 46 days from June 1st to July 17th. Byrne has long argued the determination of the prized fish’s season should be taken out of the hands of the federal government, and instead given to research institutions to decide, saying federal regulators consistently underestimate the amount of red snapper in the Gulf and overestimate the number caught each year. Zeigler echoed these concerns, calling the short season “unacceptable.” “These federal limits are totally unacceptable,” said the State Auditor. “They are based on bad science and improper counting of the snapper fishery. We need to get Alabama out from under federal regulation and have state conservation handle our fishery. Can you imagine paying for a boat to go snapper fishing and only being able to use it for nine days?” In 2015 the U.S. House passed legislation, championed by Byrne, which would have extended state water boundaries for each Gulf state to nine nautical miles from the coast and removed data collection and stock assessments from federal control, but it was never taken up the the Senate. “The House has passed reform legislation that would give us a real season again,” Byrne concluded, “and it is past time for the Senate to act on our legislation and bring relief to our fishermen.”
Bradley Byrne: Why tourism matters
It is that time of the year again. Families and students are flocking down Interstate 65 or across Interstate 10 to our Alabama beaches for spring break. Those of us who have lived here our entire lives know what it means: crowded roads, packed restaurants, and full hotels. What you may not have realized, is just how important tourism is to our area’s economy. In Baldwin County alone, 5.7 million tourists visited the beaches last year. About 46,000 people in Baldwin County are employed in the tourism and hospitality industry. Even more, the economic impact in just Baldwin County is over $3.5 billion dollars, and the number of visitors to our beaches continues to grow each year. Tourism isn’t just limited to the beaches. Many people travel to Mobile for Mardi Gras or to visit the historic city. In fact, the USS Alabama saw over 400,000 visitors last year and is one of the top five most visited tourist attractions in Alabama. Mobile also continues to grow and expand their tourist appeal. Just last week, I toured the new GulfQuest maritime museum in downtown Mobile, a great asset to our city that will boost tourism. In Escambia County, there is the Wind Creek Casino and Hotel, which helps support the local community and serves as a stopping point for many groups visiting our beaches. Finally, each year thousands of people travel to Monroeville for the annual performances of “To Kill A Mockingbird.” As the people in Monroeville know, hotels and restaurants are packed during play season. All told, the lodging tax revenue for just Baldwin and Mobile counties in 2015 totaled over $62 million dollars. That is money that can be used to support our communities and improve the quality of life for local residents. In Congress, I have made it a top priority to do everything I can to support tourism. I am a member of the Travel and Tourism Caucus and a co-chair of the Coastal Communities Caucus. Here are two specific areas where Congress can act to support Alabama’s tourism economy. First, Alabama’s visitors are primarily vehicle travelers, so it is critical we have a safe and reliable Interstate and highway system to help transport people to our destinations. For example, a new I-10 bridge over the Mobile River would go a long way toward boosting tourism, especially when it comes to people traveling from one of our neighboring states like Florida, Mississippi, or Louisiana. The bridge will also be an important hurricane evacuation route for moving people off our beaches in the unfortunate event of severe weather. Last year, Congress passed a long-term highway bill to make it easier to fund important highway projects. Now we need to cut through some of the bureaucratic delays and speed up these important projects. Second, we need to pass important reforms to get a longer Red Snapper season. Many visitors to our coastal communities want to go fishing, and a longer Red Snapper season would mean increased tourism. I was able to help get a bill through the House last year with three important reforms that would lead to a longer Snapper season. Now we just need to get that bill passed through the Senate and signed into law. Those are just two straightforward ways Congress can help support tourism, and in turn the economy, right here in Southwest Alabama. Ultimately, our area’s greatest asset will always be our people and our outstanding southern hospitality. I have no doubt visitors will continue flocking to Southwest Alabama for decades to come. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
