June 8, 2010

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) and Big Rock Sports, LLC , today released an economic study that highlights the economic battering the southeast recreational fishing retail market would take should the current South Atlantic red snapper fishing ban in federal waters be expanded. The expansion would include bottom fishing in waters from 98 feet to 300 feet in an area covering 10,000 square miles stretching from North Carolina to Florida's Atlantic coast. ASA and Big Rock Sports commissioned the survey of Southeast tackle dealers to collect and analyze information about the Southeast sportfishing retail market.

The survey data shows that roughly 1,300 stores selling bait and tackle will be directly affected by the proposed bottom fishing ban. These businesses will lose an estimated $78 million in sales in the first year of the ban alone. This equates to an average loss of $60,000 in sales per store. In addition, the survey found that 578 jobs will be affected. The survey responses provided a qualitative description of the bait and tackle industry and measured the impact of the closures on the revenues, profits and employment levels of the region's business. The study - An Economic Impact Study of the Effects of Closures in the South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery on the Bait and Tackle Retail Industry - was conducted by Georgetown Economic Services (GES), Washington, D.C.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in its December 2009 red snapper ruling that it did not have the economic impact information on tackle shops and other recreational fishing-dependent business. Big Rock Sports and ASA teamed up to gather the necessary economic impact data for consideration. NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and regional fishery management councils are obligated under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to consider economic impacts when developing fishery management decisions. NOAA's South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) is meeting in Orlando, Fla., June 7 -11, with the expanded fishing ban on its Wednesday agenda. ASA's comment letter on the proposed bottom fishing closure is available here.

"The current red snapper fishery closure is already having a severe impact on the recreational fishing community in the southeast," said Gary Zurn, Big Rock Sports Executive Vice President and ASA Saltwater Committee Chairman. "A full closure to bottom fishing would be disastrous. The current federal fisheries rebuilding track defaults to the most extreme measures possible without complete enough or timely enough information on the stock itself or the human impacts from fishing bans."

"A new red snapper stock assessment will be presented to the South Atlantic Fishery Council in December. Why not wait for the results of that study before taking such extreme and potentially economically devastating action," said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman. "We know the red snapper fishery in this region needs rebuilding and anglers and the sportfishing industry want the healthiest possible fishery. The council should use the most up-to-date and accurate fishery data possible including the socio-economic impacts, to inform its decision."

In December 2009, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced an interim rule that prohibited commercial and recreational fishing for red snapper in federal waters from North Carolina to the Atlantic coast of Florida. The six-month closure became effective in January. On May 18, 2010, the ban was extended until December 5, 2010, or until NMFS approves longer-term measures to end overfishing. Long-term measures are being developed in "Amendment 17A" to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery.

On Wednesday, June 9, the SAFMC is set to consider "Amendment 17A" which includes several proposals to ban all bottom fishing. The SAFMC's preferred alternative includes a closed area off the coasts of Georgia and Northern Florida extending slightly south of Melbourne, Fla., in waters from 98 feet to 240 feet deep. The proposed alternatives would lead to major financial losses for recreational fishing-dependent businesses.

"We recognize the importance of rebuilding the South Atlantic snapper population and the need for strong management measures," said Ken Haddad, former Executive Director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and ASA's marine fisheries advisor. "However, with the obvious data deficiencies, the sudden and unexpected consequence of closing all bottom fishing in large areas without adequate planning for economic impacts, data deficiencies, and the use of a more recent stock assessment is simply not the management approach the Magnuson-Stevens Act intended."

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry's trade association, committed to looking out for the interests of the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry a unified voice speaking out when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. We invest in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous as well as safeguard and promote the enduring economic and conservation values of sportfishing in America. ASA also represents the interests of America's 60 million anglers who generate over $45 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation's economy creating employment for over one million people.