GMFMC January Meeting

At their January 2019 meeting in Orange Beach, AL, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management reappointed to another term all six members of the Spiny Lobster Advisory Panel.  They include:  Bill Kelly – Chair, Daniel Padron – Vice-Chair, Joshua Nicklaus, George Niles, Simon Stafford and Robert Gaitanis.

FKCFA Executive Director Bill Kelly attended the meeting where he continued to press the Council for reallocation of king mackerel from the recreational to the commercial industry.  Over the past ten years recreational fishermen have harvested less than half of their 6MP Annual Catch Limit while the commercial sector has repeatedly faced closures during the same time frame.  The 30MP of unharvested king mackerel by the recreational sector represent more than $40M dollars in product losses to the commercial fishermen and have deprived consumers worldwide of fresh, Florida seafood.