That’s how many Floridians describe a federal proposal to suddenly slash red grouper bag limits and impose a closed season on all groupers.

NMFS allots roughtly 80 percent of the Fulf red grouper catch to commercial fishermen--not counting fish that boats such as MGB bring back to the dock illegally.

The emergency plan is based on data purporting to show that recreational catches of red grouper soared by 130 percent in 2004 despite four hurricanes that kept thousands of anglers at home.

Now, in an unprecedented action, nine U.S. congressmen from Florida sent a letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service stating that the dramatic increase data is “suspect.” The federal lawmak-ers said a closure would cause an “undue hardship.”

And on a state-level, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission agreed unanimously to oppose a closed season, a prohibition that would apply to all groupers and cause many million dollars of economic losses as well as an upheaval among anglers.

But perhaps the strongest ammuni-tion against the NMFS proposal comes from the government’s own data for the first four months of 2005. The new year’s estimated recreational catch is down more than 50 percent from the same months in 2004’s spike that triggered the suggested changes for non-commercial users.

“So there was no emergency in the first place, and there certainly isn’t one now,” said one sportfishing advocate. “How could they possibly chop into the recreational catch, anyway, when the commercial longlines and other market fishers gobble up 80 percent of the catch?”

Some anglers grumbled that the government’s proposal simply represented a desire by NMFS and commercial interests to allocate an even higher share of the red grouper catch to industrial interests and gradually remove recreational users from the fishery.

Federal public hearings were scheduled for June 28 in Naples and June 29 in Madeira Beach near St. Petersburg and on July 14 before the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. See www.floridasportsman.com for details and continuing developments.

Florida anglers are urged to contact leaders on all levels to protest the NMFS proposal.

They also should applaud congressmen who signed the letter of protest: Adam Putnam, Ander Crenshaw, Jeff Miller, Kendrick Meek, Connie Mack, Ginny Brown-Waite, Michael Bilirakis, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Tom Feeney.

While federal fisheries managers ponder ways to rebuild red grouper stocks, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission law enforcement officers are staying busy keeping up with poachers. One case, which involved the commercial fishing vessel MGB, is a classic example of market fishers exploiting Florida’s natural resources for private gain.

While inspecting the vessel near St. Petersburg, officers discovered 262 undersize red grouper, several short gag grouper, 63 shark fins minus the required carcasses, 13 cobia (seven over the boat’s limit) and undersize amberjack. They also cited the boat for possession of red snapper without the required federal permits and no Restricted Species Endorsement. Besides the federal infractions, for which charges were filed in federal court, MGB apparently violated state licensing laws.

Anglers: Think Twice Before Giving Away Fishing Rights

The good thing about being a sportfisherman is, one fish can make your day.

The bad thing is, the government knows you feel this way, and uses the knowledge to run right over you when it comes to management decisions.

Most of us will accept a one-fish bag limit for a particular species, if we know it is necessary for the future of that fish. When the state of Florida lowered the recreational snook limit to one on the Gulf Coast a few years back, it did so largely in response to public acceptance that such a change was needed.

One bonefish? Anyone who’s chased that forked-tail ghost with a fly rod can attest that a single, 8-pound Biscayne Bay or Florida Keys fish is material enough for months of good fishing stories. And that’s a fish we don’t even keep. Most guys pride themselves on handling a bonefish as little as possible, ensuring a safe release.

A lot of this behavior is performed on a purely personal level, not in reaction to limits.