cdiver2
Contributor
Fishermen have known for years stock is dwindling but they keep on bringing them in.
Groping for grouper
Thursday, June 2, 2005
The price of the popular fish may increase, but will also be more stable.
The supply of grouper in the Gulf of Mexico is dwindling, and commercial fishermen will soon face limits on how much grouper they may catch.
Fishermen and restaurant owners have mixed reactions.
Commercial fishermen aren't happy, but they know that limits may be the only way to prevent a ban on grouper fishing at the end of the year.
"It's good in one way and bad in the other," said commercial fisherman Bob Spaeth. "We'd like to be able to bring more fish home, but what they're trying to accomplish is to keep the fishing open all year round."
Last year commercial fishermen were devastated when a ban was put on all grouper fishing at the end of the year. That ban was imposed because the supply of grouper was too low.
The National Marine Fisheries will soon put a limitation on grouper of 7,500 pounds per commercial trip.
"We seem to be catching the fish too quickly, so we wanted to stretch it out," Spaeth said. "We're doing this by trip limits."
For grouper lovers, restaurant owner Matt Loder thinks the ban will have a positive impact.
Spaeth says the limits on grouper are necessary.
"We're happy about it," Loder said. "We think it's going to improve the quality of the fish for us and the consumer."
Loder also said the catch limits will balance prices.
"It will be a more constant price," Louder said. "You won't have a lot of fish coming in and flooding the market and the price going down and then all of a sudden there's no fish and the price goes up."
Fishermen hope the limits mean they won't be out of work at the end of the year.
"Think about, if you were out of work at the end of the year and you had to provide for Christmas for your family and pay your bills," said boat captain Eric Schmidt. "It's tough."
The limitation will start June 9 and will be enforced by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It will fine any commercial fishermen who break the new rules.
Groping for grouper
Thursday, June 2, 2005
The price of the popular fish may increase, but will also be more stable.
The supply of grouper in the Gulf of Mexico is dwindling, and commercial fishermen will soon face limits on how much grouper they may catch.
Fishermen and restaurant owners have mixed reactions.
Commercial fishermen aren't happy, but they know that limits may be the only way to prevent a ban on grouper fishing at the end of the year.
"It's good in one way and bad in the other," said commercial fisherman Bob Spaeth. "We'd like to be able to bring more fish home, but what they're trying to accomplish is to keep the fishing open all year round."
Last year commercial fishermen were devastated when a ban was put on all grouper fishing at the end of the year. That ban was imposed because the supply of grouper was too low.
The National Marine Fisheries will soon put a limitation on grouper of 7,500 pounds per commercial trip.
"We seem to be catching the fish too quickly, so we wanted to stretch it out," Spaeth said. "We're doing this by trip limits."
For grouper lovers, restaurant owner Matt Loder thinks the ban will have a positive impact.
Spaeth says the limits on grouper are necessary.
"We're happy about it," Loder said. "We think it's going to improve the quality of the fish for us and the consumer."
Loder also said the catch limits will balance prices.
"It will be a more constant price," Louder said. "You won't have a lot of fish coming in and flooding the market and the price going down and then all of a sudden there's no fish and the price goes up."
Fishermen hope the limits mean they won't be out of work at the end of the year.
"Think about, if you were out of work at the end of the year and you had to provide for Christmas for your family and pay your bills," said boat captain Eric Schmidt. "It's tough."
The limitation will start June 9 and will be enforced by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It will fine any commercial fishermen who break the new rules.
