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The health of the Gulf of Mexico fisheries has just passed an important crossroads. On Aug. 14, managers responsible for the health and sustainability of our marine resources voted 16-1 at a Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) meeting in Key Largo to end overfishing and protect important fishing economies for generations to come by implementing a science-based management plan for gag grouper.

For years, our federal fishery managers have allowed more gag grouper to be caught than scientists have deemed sustainable. This undermined the ability of gag grouper populations to rebound, harmed the greater Gulf ecosystem, and reduced the likelihood of long-term sustainable fishing. But recent reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Act mandates an end to overfishing. Gag grouper overfishing could not continue unabated.

The Gulf Council started down a path toward more sustainable fishing practices last year by approving a plan to rebuild red snapper and approving rules to end greater amberjack overfishing. The Gulf Council continued its work by putting fishery politics aside and following the best science available in adopting a plan to end overfishing and ensure a healthy gag grouper population for the future. The key to fishery management success, as was the case for red snapper and greater amberjack, is embracing and utilizing science-based management.

The scientific basis for the determination that gag grouper needed help was the product of a collaborative assessment process involving fishermen, scientists and other various stakeholders. Normally, the results from health assessments are reviewed twice, first by independent international fish experts and then by a panel of scientists familiar with Gulf fisheries. The latest gag assessment went through a third scientific review. All three reviews reached the very same conclusion: that gags are still being removed from the Gulf at ever unsustainable rates.

While not everyone agrees with the results, it was a thorough, inclusive process with sufficient checks and balances that reiterated the need for action and results. And, while the proposed rules call for short-term reductions in gag catch, they are necessary in order to gain a secure, sustainable future for the gag grouper fishery and the local economy it supports.

The blessings of the Gulf’s natural resources afford us the privilege of plentiful fishing, world-class seafood and beautiful reef systems for diving. And along with that privilege comes the responsibility to safeguard the health of our fisheries for future generations.

With one vote, the Gulf Council helped ensure that we create fisheries that are profitable and sustainable so marine life — and our economy — can thrive well into the future. For this they deserve our sincere thanks.