HOUSTON (AP) – Federal officials will consider a recent proposal to prohibit certain types of fishing across hundreds of miles of coral reef in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Houston Chronicle reports that the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council voted Thursday to designate 21 Gulf sites as Habitat Areas of Particular Concern. The council governs fishing in the Gulf’s federal waters. Several of the designated sites are off Texas’ coast.
The designation allows the council to prevent or mitigate damage to the reefs caused by fishing, including restricting the use of certain gear. It’s the latest effort to protect coral in the Gulf as reefs worldwide are considered damaged beyond repair.
The U.S. Department of Commerce will decide whether to approve the plan. It’s unclear how long the decision may take.
Posted at 4:47 PM, Jun 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-22 17:47:07-04
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