Subject: Re: Catch and release limits

From: [email-masked](Steven Atran)
Date: 20 Jul 1996 18:41:40 GMT

On Jul 17, 1996 21:50:23 in article <Catch and release limits>, 'Carl Reese
<[email-masked]>' wrote: 

>In most instances, it is difficult to envision catch and release fishing  
>damaging a stock. 
  
Off of the Florida Keys, near Dry Tortugas, there is an area called Riley's
Hump that is closed to all fishing, including catch-and-release, during the
months of May and June.  This is a major spawning aggregation area for
mutton snapper.  The total closure is intended to protect spawning mutton
snapper not only from harvest, but also from the impacts of release
mortality and the disruption of spawning behavior by fishing activities on
other species.  Other mutton snapper spawning aggregations have been fished
out over the years, and this is the last known major spawning aggregation
of mutton snapper in the Gulf of Mexico.  For that reason, the Gulf of
Mexico Fishery Management Council felt that more protection than a simple
closed season during spawning was needed for these fish. 
  
Steven Atran 
Population Dynamics Statistician 
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council