This year's US Gulf of Mexico red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) season is coming to a close and it has been a good one, thanks to a boost of nearly 1 million pounds (453 metric tons) in the 2012 quota.
The commercial fishery is governed by an annual quota that takes affect the beginning of each year. In 2007, the fishery switched to an individual fishing quota (IFQ) management system, which provides managers with real-time catch information and divides the total fishery quota among individual fishing vessels.
The
