Plan could preserve some fishing

Regional fisheries managers meeting Thursday in Charleston cobbled together a new option that could preserve some bottom fishing for grouper and snapper off South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

The novel plan, put together during a marathon meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, could carry hefty costs for those wanting to participate in the popular fishery: Commercial and recreational anglers might need to apply through a lottery, and those chosen could be required to pay for and install video cameras and satellite tracking systems on their boats. Bottom-fishing anglers might even be required to carry government observers onboard during fishing trips.

Though satellite tracking and video monitoring are familiar requirements in some U.S. fisheries, such an approach would be unprecedented in the Lowcountry angling community.

This latest alternative is one of about half-dozen the council is considering to put a stop to overfishing of red snapper off the Southeast Coast. Government scientists say that red snapper populations are in such poor shape that even incidental catches must be eliminated.

Until Thursday evening, all the options included in a draft amendment to federal snapper-grouper regulations featured the closure of vast areas of ocean to virtually all forms of commercial and recreational bottom fishing. Many commercial operators and charter boat captains say that would run them out of business.

Council members said details of the management alternative will be worked out during the coming weeks. The council will hold public hearings before it meets again in December.