However, we are destroying the fishery in the recovery process. Osburn says what is needed is a fundamental change in how the species is managed. We're not taking advantage of management tools that could allow for recovery while still sustaining viable recreational and commercial fisheries. TPW would prefer allowing for a separate snapper quota off Texas that would allow state mangers to set size and bag limits and seasons to match local needs, according to Osburn. This recognizes that red snapper are a sedentary species that can be managed locally.
Texas fish are different from Eastern Gulf fish, and fishing community needs are also different.
Western stocks of red snapper are healthier than those in the Eastern Gulf. State and federal agencies also need to increase law enforcement to deal with a rampant black market in commercial sale of red snapper. The black market has undermined the effect of the commercial season closure in spite of stepped-up undercover operations and other efforts by TPW, according to TPW law enforcement director Jim Robertson. The current strategy does not account for the mortality of snapper that are caught and thrown back in the deep waters off Texas. Finally, TPW fisheries biologists note that there is legitimate disagreement on the status of the snapper populations and the best snapper management strategies throughout the scientific community.