News & Events

The announcement today of action to extend the Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper season is a welcome boon to anglers who have been painted into a corner by a federal fisheries management system that does not understand us, and would often just rather ignore us.

On the plus side, anglers are right to be encouraged by the willingness of this Administration and the Department of Commerce to improve recreational access to a historically robust Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery. This alone is a tremendous achievement. Read More

Originally submitted to the Houston Chronicle as an op-ed.

Public oyster reefs in Texas are suffering. Increasing demand and diminishing supply have put our public reefs at risk. The compounding effects of increased fishing pressure in smaller areas, hurricanes, tropical storms, droughts, flood events and unscrupulous actions by some within the commercial oyster industry have resulted in unprecedented destruction and loss of our public oyster reefs. As the public oyster season drew to a close this past April, nearly 70% of the public shellfish harvest areas were closed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) because more than 65% of the oysters in their samples were “undersized”. This statistic alone should serve as a wakeup call for us to do more to conserve the resource. Read More

Texas lawmakers send strong message for course change on chaotic fishery

In a resounding display of frustration with the federal government’s handling of the red snapper fishery in the Gulf of Mexico, the Texas Legislature recently passed House Concurrent Resolution 105 (HCR 105), encouraging the U.S. Congress to pass legislation or adopt policies allowing the State of Texas to manage the fishery out to 200 nautical miles. Led by Reps. Dennis Bonnen (R-District 25) and Dade Phelan (R-District 21), the resolution breezed through the legislative process this session. Read More

Recreational fisheries generate far more economic activity with less impact on marine resources. So why are we still treated as an after-thought by NOAA Fisheries?

POSTED ON MAY 18, 2017 BY BRAD GENTNER, PRESIDENT, GENTNER CONSULTING GROUP LLC Read More

Increased reefing of offshore energy platforms critical to Gulf habitat

WASHINGTON DC – The House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will hold an oversight hearing on May 17 entitled “Reviewing Recent State Successes with the Rigs to Reefs Program” that will examine how well such programs are working to allow energy companies to transform outdated structures into valuable marine habitat. Invited to present on various aspects of the program are Dr. Greg Stunz, Endowed Chair, Fisheries and Ocean Health, Director, Center for Sportfish Science and Conservation, and Professor of Marine Biology Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies and Dale Shively, Artificial Reef Program Leader for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

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CCA testifies before Congress on red snapper fiasco
Three-day season in 2017 marks new low in federal management of popular fishery

Washington, D.C. – May 2, 2017 — On the same day that NOAA Fisheries announced the shortest recreational red snapper season in history, Mark Ray, chairman of CCA Texas, was testifying before a Congressional hearing on dismal federal management of the fishery in the Gulf of Mexico. Ray told the House Subcommittee on Interior, Energy and the Environment, chaired by Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas), that red snapper is a man-made fishery management disaster.

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U.S. Reps. Graves, Green, Webster and Wittman Champion Federal Saltwater Fisheries Reform

Washington, D.C. – April 6, 2017 – The recreational fishing and boating community praised the introduction of a bill that addresses critical challenges facing saltwater recreational fishing at the federal level. Led by Congressmen Garret Graves (R-La.), Gene Green (D-Texas), Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) and Rob Wittman (R-Va.), the “Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2017” (Modern Fish Act) would improve public access to America’s federal waters, promote conservation of our natural marine resources and spur economic growth. Read More