Getting ready for the grouper ban

PORT RICHEY - Captain Mike Teegarden is spending a lot of time about his 36-foot fishing boat so it will be ready for the arrival of tourists and snow birds.

"People are calling already for October and then we'll get into November and things will pick up nicely," Teegarden said.

He hopes October and November will sustain him for the two months he'll be barred from catching gag grouper. During all of February and March of 2010, the National Marine Fisheries Service will not allow recreational fisherman to catch the gag grouper.

"The gag (grouper) stock was significantly overfished. The rate of fishing mortality was twice what it should have been," according to Marine Fisheries biologist Andy Screlcheck.

Captain Joyce Wagner agrees.

"The specific areas of rocks that are within the recreational range for the fishing population here were getting over fished," Wagner said.

But she adds times have changed. Wagner said it's actually the economy that's helping the group population rebound. Last summer, gas prices went sky high, recreational fisherman were spending less time and the water, and as a result, the grouper population rebounded on its own.

But not enough for federal regulators.

Screlcheck said the gag grouper population is still too low, and that over fishing was made worse by a series of deadly red tides.

In the meantime, Teegarden says he hopes people who are barred from catching gag grouper in February and March will still be willing to take the Reef Chief out for sightseeing trips, but he's doubtful.

"People just want to know they have a change to go out and catch a couple of nice grouper, bring them home for dinner, sit around the table after a nice day of fishing and enjoy the day. They can't do that now," Teegarden said.