The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has announced that it has joined with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to file suit in United States District Court in Brownsville, Texas in order to dispute an emergency regulation enacted by the National Marine Fisheries Service on February 8, 2013 despite objections from Louisiana, Texas, and Florida. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council voted to enact the emergency regulation which could reduce the recreational red snapper season in federal waters of of Texas to only 12 days this year. The same regulation, if left in place, could reduce the red snapper season in federal waters off of Louisiana to a mere nine days. Last year’s season in all Gulf federal waters was 46 days. In Texas waters last year’s season remained open all year and in Louisiana waters it was opened for 88 days.

You can read the Texas Park and Wildlife’s press release about the suit here and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries press release here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

fish, Fishing, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, lawsuit, Louisiana, National Marine Fisheries Service, Red Snapper, Regulations, Texas

By Sid

---

---