Nice work, NOAA

Two federal decisions yesterday sent a wave of relief throughout the Gulf Coast.

??First, NOAA dismissed three petitions attempting to punish shrimpers for turtle deaths that have not been proven to be caused by shrimping — and in fact occurred in the early days of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, when the fishery was not active.

??Second, the federal agency increased the TAC for red snapper by nearly 350,000 pounds.??

The first decision comes after NOAA was able to document high rates of compliance among fishermen with the federal requirement for turtle-excluder devices.??It is a victory for those who would protect non-commercial species as well as those who would protect fishermen. And it goes to show that the two groups can and often do intersect.

??The decision to increase the red snapper TAC in the gulf is the result of years of fishermen reporting a significant increase in the biomass.??

These two proclamations are victories for Southern fishermen, and I commend NOAA officials for keeping a clear head and seeking solutions of compromise without compromising the integrity of the fleets.

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