Opinion: Giving grouper a break

The cost of fresh grouper is about to go up, maybe way up. From Feb. 15 until March 15, it will be illegal for commercial fishermen in the gulf to catch the most popular kinds of grouper (red, gag and black). So as fresh grouper becomes less plentiful in the coming weeks, the tasty grouperburger will become dearer.

But it's only temporary. In danger of being overfished, grouper needed a break from the assault of long-lines and automatic rods and reels used by commercial fishermen to pull grouper out of the gulf by the tons. The fishing ban falls in the middle of grouper spawning season, when the fish congregate and are easier to catch in large numbers. Some kinds of grouper are also protected by an increase in the size limit, from a minimum 20 inches to 22 inches for recreational fishermen and 24 inches for commercial fishermen.

Some fishermen and restaurateurs aren't happy about the ban. It will hurt their profits if they can't sell as much grouper at the height of the winter tourist season, they argue. That is probably true, but the fishing ban makes sense.

First, it's the law. Congress requires the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to keep track of fish populations, and if overfishing is evident, the council has one year to come up with a protection plan. The goal is to allow the maximum amount of fish harvested without long-term damage to the fish population. "That's what Congress has made us do -- have sustainable fisheries," explained Rick Leard, deputy director of the council.

The one-month ban is also a practical lesson in conservation. Those who aren't stewards of their natural resources eventually deplete them. In other words, a temporarily pricey grouperburger is better than no grouperburger at all.

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