re: Embattled Charlie Melancon says Gov. Edwards supports his red snapper strategy

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't the license fee increase supported by recreational fisherman in this state intended to provide funding for red snapper management? Since the feds will still do the stock assessments as they do now, I don't see the funding problem. The existing money stays where it is at and the new money gives the state biologists the ability to interpret the federal data and set appropriate management. If the state is going to now reverse course, I for one want my money back.

Additionally, the federal stocks do not include counts from rigs or artificial structures. As I read the assessment, the Artificial Reef ROV surveys are only used to assess the age and length of fish, but not the number. So essentially, only fish in open water count towards the stock count. How can that be accepted? If you don't count fish by artificial reefs (i.e. rigs), you are missing a big chunk of the count. Can someone provide insight on to that part of the assessment?