Tarpon populations need protection according to BTU
From Bonefish and Tarpon Unlimited
Tarpon Populations Need Protection
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• Research shows that adult tarpon migrate throughout the Gulf of Mexico, southeastern United States, and the Caribbean. In addition, genetic research indicates a single large tarpon stock.
• This means that this is a regional fishery and the resource should be managed as a single stock.
• Tarpon are long-lived (>80 years) and slow growing, which means that the stock is especially vulnerable to harvests.
• Therefore, the killing of tarpon anywhere impacts tarpon fishermen everywhere.
• It is clear that there are significantly fewer tarpon around now than there were 30 years ago.
• Catch and release recreational tarpon fisheries are worth billions of dollars per year in US waters alone. These fisheries rely on healthy tarpon populations.
• Indiscriminant and wasteful harvest of this important gamefish should no longer be allowed.
New Management Plans Needed
• Bonefish & Tarpon Unlimited strongly recommends a regional management plan for tarpon.
o Part of such a management plan would include the severe limitation of tarpon harvests.
• While some Management Agencies have management plans designed to protect tarpon stocks, others lag behind.
o Florida and Texas exemplify States with strong management plans that protect tarpon stocks o Louisiana exemplifies States that should update their tarpon management plans o The United States (Federal) and Mexico should update their management plans
Call for Action
• BTU encourages its members and all concerned anglers to take action to ensure that a comprehensive regional multi-State management plan for tarpon is enacted as soon as possible • Suggested actions:
* Contact the Regional Administrator at NOAA Fisheries
(http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/leadershipbio.htm ) and regional fishery management Councils (Gulf of Mexico http://www.gulfcouncil.org ; South Atlantic http://www.safmc.net) to:
o demand that tarpon are added to the list of federally-managed gamefish (there is currently NO federal regulation of tarpon)
o demand a federal management plan that prevents harvests of tarpon in Federal waters
* Contact the State of Louisiana Division of Marine Fisheries
(http://www.wlf.state.la.us/aboutldwf/divisions/marinefisheries ) to:
o request that tarpon regulations be updated to severely restrict or eliminate harvests in Louisiana State waters
* Contact your State Fisheries Agencies to:
o ensure your State laws restrict the harvest of tarpon
o encourage your State to support a regional management plan for tarpon
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