Information provided by Bill Nelson's office:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –

In an effort aimed at helping Florida’s massive fishing industry and consumers who eat their catch, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson unveiled two pieces of legislation today to stop the federal government from imposing restrictions on red snapper fishing off the state’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

The move comes just days after Nelson called for a review of federal fishing bans nationwide at a meeting with representatives of Florida’s recreational, commercial and charter fishing industries. The anglers were in town as part of a rally held Wednesday on Capitol Hill where thousands of fishermen protested federal fishing rules as having gone overboard.

“We really have to re-look at the science here and make sure we’re not mistakenly putting Florida’s fishing industry in serious jeopardy,” said Sen. Bill Nelson.

Specifically, Nelson offered up two bills in the Senate on Thursday. One would end the current ban on red snapper fishing in the South Atlantic, while the other prevents the federal government from shortening the red snapper fishing season in the Gulf of Mexico.

The legislation comes in response to moves by federal regulators to close off huge areas of Florida coastal waters to fishing for several kinds of fish, most notably red snapper. The fishing industry contends the bans are based on outdated and unreliable data.

That’s why Nelson this week also called on the Senate Commerce Committee to examine the use of such data to support tough fishing restrictions off Florida and other coastal states. The Florida Democrat also pressed the panel to look into whether economic aid could be provided to communities hardest hit by fishing bans.