Government Proposes Ban on Snapper Fishing
Thursday, November 12, 2009
By: Tom Parkinson

Several hundred Brevard County residents turned out for public hearing on a proposed ban on fishing for Red Snapper and several other species. The ban would affect fishing from Key West to North Carolina. The federal government wants to stop, what it says, is over-fishing of the popular red snapper. Commercial fisherman say the industry will collapse if snapper fishing is banned. One industry expert told the panel Wednesday that snapper fishing generates more than 10 million dollars a year for Brevard County alone. Federal officials say the snapper has been overfished and that the population has been declining for years. The government says a total ban is needed to protect the fish from extinction. State environmental groups agree that curbs on unlimited snapper fishing are necessary. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council hosted the hearing in Cape Canaveral and will hold other public hearings in areas affected by the proposed ban.