The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a special meeting of Reef Fish Management Committee January 7-8 at the Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore Hotel (2225 North Lois Avenue, Tampa). The meeting will begin at 1:30 pm Monday and will conclude by 5 pm Tuesday.

During the special meeting, the Reef Fish Committee will discuss several issues related to the management of red snapper. The Committee will review an analysis by the Scientific and Statistical Committee of an estimated 1.6 million pound overharvest of red snapper during the 2012 recreational season. The SSC is recommending a 0.38 million pound increase in the acceptable biological catch in 2013 to 8.46 million pounds.