Author: American Sportfishing Assoc

The Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act will align commercial swordfish fishing in California with other U.S. and international swordfish fisheries by ending the use of mile-long large-mesh drift gillnets.

The American Sportfishing Association is celebrating yesterday’s decision by the California Senate Appropriations Committee not to advance Assembly Bill 3030.

NOAA Fisheries recently issued the final rule requiring descending devices to be rigged and ready for use onboard all vessels fishing for or possessing snapper-grouper species in South Atlantic federal waters.

Modern Fish Act Bill The U.S. House of Representatives joined the Senate in passing the Modern Fish Act bill. Officially known as the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2017, the passage is a major victory for the American Sportfishing Association(ASA) and our coalition partners, who worked closely with lawmakers to get the bill through Congress. The bill now heads to the President’s desk for his signature. “This is truly a monumental achievement by the ASA and its members, our partner organizations, and anglers across the country,” said ASA President Glenn Hughes. “I want to personally thank Mike Leonard and his…

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed S.1520, the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2017 (Modern Fish Act). The legislation, which would make critical updates to the oversight of federal fisheries, marks a big step forward for America’s angling community and now moves to the U.S. House for final passage. “Today is an important day for America’s 11 million saltwater anglers thanks to the leadership of Senator Roger Wicker and a broad, bipartisan coalition of senators,” said Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Sportfishing Policy. “Senate passage of the Modern Fish Act proved today that marine recreational fishing is a nonpartisan…

Sea turtles, dolphins, whales, and other marine wildlife in California waters will get a reprieve from an indiscriminate fishing gear—drift gillnets—thanks to state lawmakers’ passage of a bill to phase out the destructive equipment, which is used to target swordfish off the West Coast. The California Legislature passed Senate Bill 1017 with bipartisan support today. The legislation gives the swordfish fleet—now fewer than 20 active boats—a transition period to stop using drift gillnets. It also provides compensation for fishermen who agree to permanently retire their nets and related permits. The money for the buyout will come from a combination of…

Leading recreational fishing organizations applauded Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) for introducing S. 2773, the Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act, to phase out the use of mile-long drift gillnets in the eastern Pacific by 2020 and bring California commercial swordfishing in-line with all other U.S. and international swordfish fisheries. “This bill changes the tide from indiscriminate industrial gears toward fisheries that support small-scale, high yield, low bycatch fisheries – the future of fishing in America,” said Bill Shedd, president of Coastal Conservation Association of California. Wild Oceans, the International Game Fish Association, Coastal Conservation Association of California and American Sportfishing Association have been working together to promote a…

ASA sent a letter to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission on October 24, 2017 in support of Option E in Amendment 3 to the Menhaden Management Plan that ASMFC will be voting on in November. Menhaden are a vital species in the marine food web and the health of their population is critical to maintaining healthy populations of many other fish species, among other ecosystem benefits. A healthy forage base is central to the health of important sportfish populations, like striped bass and king mackerel. Building and maintaining higher abundance is not only good for the marine environment, but for the…

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) approves the decision made by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) to turn down a proposal to list Pacific bluefin tuna under the Endangered Species Act. “NOAA’s science-based decision affirms ASA’s position that international efforts are needed to conserve and build Pacific bluefin tuna stocks, however, it’s important to understand that these popular sportfish are in no way endangered” said Scott Gudes, ASA’s Government Affairs vice president. NOAA conducted a comprehensive year-long review after a coalition of environmental-based organizations proposed that bluefin fishing be banned in U.S. waters. ASA, supported by the California Coastal…

Sportsfishing Industry Wildlife Act The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) today expressed support for the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works’ (EPW) passage of S. 1514, the Hunting Heritage and Environmental Legacy Preservation Act, or HELP for Wildlife Act. The bipartisan bill, which includes a range of provisions designed to improve the management of fish, wildlife, habitat, and outdoor recreation, passed by a 14-7 margin. “The HELP for Wildlife Act – which really should be titled the ‘HELP for Wildlife and Fisheries Act’ – contains a number of provisions important to the recreational fishing industry,” said Scott Gudes, ASA’s vice…

Over 11 million Americans enjoy saltwater recreational fishing. The sport contributes $70 billion to the nation’s economy annually and supports 455,000 American jobs. And yet, when it comes to federal management, our sport is frequently overlooked. The current law, known as the Magnuson-Stevens Act, has never properly addressed the importance of recreational fishing and this has led to shortened or even cancelled seasons, reduced bag limits, and unnecessary restrictions. Management strategies are in desperate need of an update and more emphasis needs to be put on recreational fishing. Fortunately, a solution is on the horizon. On April 6, 2017, the…

Senior recreational industry corporate and trade association officials met with Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Monday, April 24, capping a full and encouraging day of discussions with administration officials. The meetings were organized by the Outdoor Recreation Industry Roundtable (ORIR) and began in Shenandoah National Park. Twelve hours later, the day’s discussions concluded in Zinke’s offices in downtown Washington, D.C. The evening’s discussion began with the Secretary outlining a broad range of goals. He pledged to rebuild trust with the public and with state and local governments, with more collaboration and less focus on law enforcement, expressing plans to rebuild…

Sportfishing Industry Angered by Last-Minute U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ Director’s Order On the day before President Obama left office, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued an edict to phase out the use of traditional fishing tackle on the hundreds of thousands of square miles of public lands under its management. Director’s Order No. 219 will, “require the use of nontoxic ammunition and fishing tackle to the fullest extent practicable for all activities on Service lands, waters and facilities by January 2022, except as needed for law enforcement or health and safety uses, as provided for in policy.” Scott Gudes,…

Rec Act Becomes Law On December 8, 2016, President Obama signed the Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016 into law. Better known as the REC Act, it instructs the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce (DOC) to assess and analyze the outdoor recreation economy of the United States and the effects attributable to it on the overall U.S. economy. Since outdoor recreation employs over 6 million people and generates $646 billion annually, it’s high time this was added to the major industries already tracked by the DOC. And when our elected officials see the importance of…

The sportfishing industry and the entire recreational fishing community are solidly behind a new fisheries proposal, developed by Oregon and Washington that limits commercial gill-netting to safe zones in the Columbia River. These specific safe zones contain mostly hatchery-raised fish and commercial gill-netting will be subject to regulation and oversight by both states’ fish and wildlife commissions. “Oregon’s Governor John Kitzhaber deserves our thanks for expediting this process by directing the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission to propose rules to address gill-netting in the Columbia River by the end of December 2013,” said American Sportfishing Association (ASA) Vice President Gordon…

In the next few days, your U.S. Senators are expected to vote on the most comprehensive package of sportsmen’s legislation in recent years. Introduced on September 10, 2012, the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 (S. 3525) includes 15 bills that will benefit the sportfishing community, as well as recreational shooters and hunters. This historic legislation provides for increased access, habitat conservation and improved fish and wildlife management. As an angler this is the most important legislative action you can take all year. Now you can easily send a message to your Senators urging them to support this historic legislation through the…

The outdoor industry recently briefed members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus on the rise in hunting and fishing participation in this country. The groups, led by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Cabela’s, Safari Club International, National Shooting Sports Foundation, American Sportfishing Association and National Marine Manufacturers Association, used recently released data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) 2011 National Survey on Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Associated Recreation to compare hunting and fishing participation and expenditures to mainstream industries. “To put it in perspective, the 37 million sportsmen and women over the age of 16 in America is the same…

By approving regulations that limit or possibly close numerous marine fisheries to recreational fishing despite a lack of scientific data, the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (SAFMC) have once again landed the federal fisheries management process in hot water with the sportfishing community. These regulations, which still require the Secretary of Commerce’s approval, may affect fishing practices and seasons for numerous recreationally important stocks such as dolphin, wahoo and dozens of species in the snapper-grouper complex. The Councils’ decision-making process is being driven by a December 31, 2011, deadline for annual catch limits and accountability measures…