David Moss | The Nature Conservancy | Ep. 1027

Red snapper season in the South Atlantic got shut down the night before it opened — and most anglers still don't really know why. In this one, I sit down with David Moss, Fisheries Project Manager for The Nature Conservancy, to break the whole thing down in plain English: what an EFP actually is, the lawsuit that closed the season, why managers and anglers see two completely different oceans, and the surprising reason keeping your spots secret might be the very thing costing you fishing days. David's a Florida-born fisherman first and a fisheries guy second, and he makes the case for why the catch data you throw away — including the days you get skunked — is exactly what the fishery needs to open more seasons, not fewer. We get into: Why red snapper are stacked up in the Atlantic but you can't keep one How "rare event species" like tilefish and snowy grouper get shortchanged by old data The truth about whether your secret numbers are actually safe in reporting apps Gulf vs. Atlantic red snapper — two fisheries, same fish The Goliath grouper problem everyone sees but no one can prove How to actually get involved if you're fed up Get in touch or get involved: David Moss — [email protected] The Nature Conservancy Florida fishing: nature.org/floridafishing Reporting apps mentioned: iAngler, Got One, MyFWC, Vessel Councils: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Gulf of America Fishery Management Council, FWC Also mentioned: Angler Action Foundation, West Palm Beach Fishing Club Brought to you by Star brite — makers of Salt Off and a full line of boat care products, and a company doing real work in conservation. starbrite.com Chapters: 00:00 – Intro & catching up (mangroves, lobster mini season) 02:20 – What The Nature Conservancy actually does 04:30 – Red snapper: what happened and why the season closed 07:30 – EFPs explained in plain terms + the lawsuit 10:00 – Three states reapply — what a real season could look like 12:00 – App-based reporting and the data managers need 14:00 – Discards, barotrauma & why released fish still count 15:30 – Deep-water "rare event species" & TNC's pilot project 17:30 – "Why should I give them my data?" — the honest answer 23:00 – How catch data gets collected now (dock surveys & mail-in) 25:30 – Do the apps work offshore? Are your spots protected? 33:30 – Gulf vs. Atlantic red snapper 37:00 – ACLs, sectors & how commercial reporting works 40:00 – How David got hooked on fisheries management 44:00 – The Goliath grouper problem 47:30 – How to get involved (councils, clubs, public comment) 51:00 – Soccer, family & a coaching detour 54:30 – From landscaping to The Nature Conservancy 59:00 – The one message: your information matters 1:04:30 – Secret spots, hunters vs. anglers & sharing data 1:09:30 – Wrap-up & resources