McCollum Wades into Snapper Controversy with Feds

Ask any Florida fisherman what he thinks about the federal ban on snapper, and you'll get an earful.

Now Attorney General Bill McCollum is roiling the waters with a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke.

The result of these actions could lead to shortened seasons, reduced bag limits, and ultimately, an indefinite fishing ban that would severely impact our sport fishermen and Floridas economy, McCollum wrote.

The attorney general noted that the economic contribution of fishing in Florida is more than $4.5 billion in annual retail sales and urged the secretary to fund a data collection system that will protect Floridas fisheries without adding any undue burden to this vital industry.

The state's anglers say they already have the data they need. As one Destin fisherman told me last month, "It makes absolutely no sense to ban snapper fishing. That just lets them eat all the other fish and we're left with nothing."