TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who chairs the Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard, called Monday for the U.S. Department of Commerce to review the decision to close the South Atlantic to red snapper fishing for a second consecutive year.
"The economic benefit to my home state of Florida, along with other states that fall under the South Atlantic, cannot be overstated," wrote Rubio, a candidate for re-election, in a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Acting Inspector General David Smith.
"The commercial sector is tasked with ensuring Americans across the country are able to purchase this species, while creating much needed harvesting, processing, distribution and retail jobs. Both small and large businesses along the coast, and throughout the country, benefit from this valuable fishery."
