Red Snapper moratorium to be lifted in Georgia

For more than two years now, there’s been a moratorium on Red Snapper Fishing off the Southeast coast.  But it appears anglers will soon be able to fish the species once again.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council voted 12-1 to allow limited red snapper fishing in the South Atlantic, including off coastal Georgia.

A 2010 fishing moratorium allowed the dwindling Red Snapper population to rebound. 

In a statement, the Pew Environment Group praised the conservation efforts, but warned the species is still sensitive to overfishing.  Under the agreement, catch limits will be in place for both recreational anglers and commercial fisheries.

The Council also voted to start a new management plan for red snapper.  But any such program would take a year or more to put together.  The federal government must approve the Council’s recommendations. 

That’s likely to happen later this summer.