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August 12, 2005

Council Reaches Decision on Grouper Regulation Request

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council on Thursday voted not to request that a National Marine Fisheries Service close only red grouper fiishing for the months of November and December according to this article.

"Grouper fishing will be open in state waters in November and December, but closed in federal waters from nine to 200 miiles from shore during that period.

The vote would have only been a request to the National Marine Fisheries Service that the closure only apply to red grouper. Fishery officials had previsouly stated they had no reason to change their interim rule.

The vote on the motion to request the National Marine Fishery Service ended in a 7-7 tie, which means the motion failed.

The council working on preferred alterntatives for a permanent grouper rule."

But this asks so many questions: Why only grouper? Is there a grouper lobby? Or is it just some pro-marlin folk who don't like grouper being special?

Related from the Joint Center:

The Effect of the Northeast Dairy Compact on Producers and Consumers, with Implications of Compact Contagion
Joseph V. Balagtas, Daniel A. Sumner