The National Marine Manufacturers Association announced that it submitted comments to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration supporting requests from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina for exempted fishing permits to improve management of the South Atlantic red snapper fishery. The proposals would allow states to test new data-collection and management approaches aimed at providing more accurate information about the fishery and improving access for sport anglers.
“Ensuring that recreational boaters and anglers have access to public waters and healthy fisheries is essential to the success of the recreational marine industry and the coastal communities it supports,” NMMA said in a statement.
In its comments, NMMA emphasized that modernizing fisheries management through improved data collection is critical to sustaining economic activity. NMMA urged NOAA to approve the states’ permit requests and continue working with state partners to modernize fisheries management, improve data accuracy, and ensure sustainable access to one of the region’s most important recreational fisheries.
