A bioeconomic assessment of Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Management Policies

The stocks of red snapper Lutjanus campechanus in the Gulf of Mexico have experienced a serious decline owing to (1) the overharvesting of adults by the commercial and recreational fisheries and (2) the incidental harvesting and discarding of juveniles by the shrimp fishery. In an effort to rebuild these stocks, since 1984 a series of policies hat; been implemented by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. To date, however, the results of these policies have not been completely addressed. This study comprehensively assesses their biological and economic consequences using integrated biological and economic models of the red snapper and shrimp fisheries. The analysis indicates that a combined-policy approach (implementing a joint policy for the red snapper and shrimp fisheries) is preferable to an individual-policy approach.