Bill > HR470

This bill aims to prevent the Secretary of Commerce from implementing area or bottom closures in the South Atlantic for snapper-grouper fisheries until a specific scientific study is completed and its data is integrated into stock assessments. The bill highlights the economic importance of fishing in the South Atlantic, noting that in Florida alone, recreational anglers generate $14 billion in economic output and support 119,000 jobs. It emphasizes that red snapper is a highly prized fish, and while the stock has been successfully rebuilt since 2010 with record high abundance, there are concerns about out-of-season encounters and discards. The legislation specifically requires that the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count study, for which $3.3 million has been invested, must be fully completed, and its data must be incorporated into the first subsequent Southeast Data, Assessment and Review stock assessment before any new area closures can be implemented. The bill reflects input from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel and addresses Florida's concerns about potential economic impacts of fishery management decisions.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/470/all-info