A bite for out of work anglers?

The jobs bill might be a bone, but Lowcountry anglers wouldn't turn their noses up at it.

An environmental group is pushing a congressional bill to create "transitional" jobs for anglers who are put out of work. The Coastal Jobs Creation Act of 2010 is in a U.S. House committee and gets a hearing Tuesday. The group, Pew Charitable Trusts, has been vilified by Lowcountry fin and shell fishermen for advocating catch restrictions that the anglers say could put them out of business.

The push comes as Pew fights for a bottom closure and the continuation of severe catch restrictions offshore that anglers say have kept snapper-grouper boats tied to the dock. Grouper is a main commercial and charter boat bottom catch in South Carolina.

But the bill has won some support among anglers, including the 55-member Southern chapter of the S.C. Shrimpers Association, and the wary consideration of the S.C. Seafood Alliance director, even though they have misgivings about its source.

"I'm skeptical, but it looks like a good program. Whether fishermen would accept it depends on where they are with their business. If they're not catching and making money, I'm sure they would," said Frank Blum, alliance director.

But, "it's like laying in bed with an 800-pound gorilla," said Craig Reeves, owner of Sea Eagle Market in Beaufort and an association leader. "You're just waiting to get squashed."

Anglers have criticized Pew for failing to address the impact on their livelihood in its push for restrictions to restore depleted species. Pew officials say creating jobs to help anglers wait out the closures is a better solution than easing restrictions to allow boats to keep fishing. That approach won't help restore fish stocks, said Lee Crockett, director of federal fisheries policy with Pew.

"It isn't buying fishermen off. It's recognizing that these restrictions will have an impact on fishermen," Crockett said.

"Regardless of whether it's a 'make-up,' this is a real problem that public policy needs to address. Jobs, no matter how they come, are important to South Carolina and to fishermen," said Edward McMullen, Pew representative.

The bill as it stands would make available $80 million per year for five years for jobs ranging from ocean debris cleanup to fish stock assessments. The money would be distributed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in competitive grants. Lowcountry anglers would compete with Gulf of Mexico anglers put out of work because of the oil spill, among others across the country.

In a best case scenario, the program could begin within a year, Crockett said.

But the bill's future in a deficit-dizzied Congress is dicey. Asked if it could make through the legislature, Crockett said, "We're trying."

Pew representatives said they had won a qualified support from U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, R-S.C., who sits on the Natural Resources committee where the bill will be heard.

But in a concise e-mail, Brown said in part, "I am concerned that this legislation would increase the deficit by an additional $80 million, at a minimum. As we experienced during the recent crisis of the red snapper closure along our coast, my number one focus is getting our hard working shrimpers and fishermen back on the water to harvest the best seafood in the world."

Reach Bo Petersen at 937-5744 or bpetersen@postandcourier.com.