David Jolly Wants More Accurate Data for Red Snapper in the Gulf

U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., brought out a bill on Thursday to let third parties play a greater role in counting Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Jolly‘s bill would sent $10 million to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southeast Regional Office in St. Petersburg to send to third parties to improve the data collection. 

“Many in the fishing community, from private anglers, to charter, to commercial, have questioned the government’s stock assessments,” Jolly said on Thursday. “My bill will give each of them a seat at the table. Third-party data collection will expand the information available to the government, particularly Red Snapper, and improve the data used to determine fishing seasons.
 
“This will improve our knowledge of fisheries stocks and if the research shows a larger fish population than the government suggests, this will open the door for a longer fishing season for species like Red Snapper,” Jolly added. “And a longer Snapper season is an economic and quality of life win throughout our community, positively impacting everyone from local scientists committed to the protection of fish populations, to recreational anglers, to charter operators, to businesses that depend on fishing tourism like hotel and restaurant operators.”