Red snapper off Alabama are growing faster these days - al.com

Red snapper off Alabama are growing faster these days - al.com: "Red snapper born off Alabama today are growing twice as fast in their first year of life as they did in the 1970s, according to University of South Alabama researchers.

A snapper born during the time of President Nixon would have reached 5 or 6 inches in length by its first birthday, according to the research, while a snapper born during the Obama administration might reach 11 inches in the same time span.

The news could have important implications, given ongoing controversy surrounding red snapper, which many regard as the Gulf's signature fish. Fishermen now face a truncated season and strict, two-snapper limit enacted this year by the federal government."