Red snapper assessment suggests overfishing is ending in Gulf of Mexico | Breaking News from the Press-Register - al.com

Red snapper assessment suggests overfishing is ending in Gulf of Mexico | Breaking News from the Press-Register - al.com: "Federal officials said a new red snapper assessment suggests that overfishing in the Gulf of Mexico has ended ahead of a 2010 deadline.

The population review also likely means the end of progressively lower limits and shorter seasons seen in the snapper fishery for the last several years.

Instead, officials believe limits should begin to increase incrementally in coming years. Ultimately, they said, the total snapper harvest will be in the range of 15 million pounds per year, versus the 5 million-pound limit in 2009.

The proposed catch total for 2010 is 6.9 million pounds, which will be split between recreational and commercial fishermen."