Author: Mike Leonard

National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Summit If the Bassmaster Classic is the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishermen,” then the National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Summit is the “Super Bowl of Marine Fisheries Policy Wonks.” Held in Arlington, Va., on March 28-29, this gathering of over 100 fisheries managers, scientists and leaders in the saltwater recreational fishing community was an opportunity to discuss and collaborate on ideas to improve saltwater fisheries management and conservation. What it lacked in large crowds and dramatic weigh-ins, it made up for in PowerPoint presentations and stimulating breakout sessions. For a policy wonk like me, that’s about as…

Editor’s Note:  So often we want to help push the bills that are designed to help us, but never take the time or procrasinate until its tool late.  Thanks to the effort of the ASA, it has never been simpler to give your input which really does make a difference.”  The squeakiest wheel really Does get the grease! Dear ASA Member, Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Natural Resources approved H.R. 200, a bill aimed at improving federal marine fisheries management. This is great news for the recreational fishing industry, because H.R. 200 includes the language from the Modern…

There’s no word I know of in the saltwater fisheries management world that generates as much agitation as allocation, or more specifically, re-allocation. The recreational fishing community persistently clamors for it, the commercial fishing industry vows to fight it tooth and nail and fishery managers avoid it like the plague. In a nutshell, for fisheries with both a commercial and recreational component (e.g., red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic, striped bass along the Atlantic coast, Chinook salmon in the Pacific Northwest), fishery managers must determine how to allocate the total allowable catch between the two sectors.…

Last week, I was honored to attend the 2014 Saltwater Recreational Fishing Summit along with roughly one hundred leaders in the saltwater recreational fishing community. This two day meeting was an opportunity to meet with leadership at NOAA Fisheries to assess recent progress in saltwater recreational fisheries management, identify future goals and strengthen ties between NOAA Fisheries and the recreational fishing community. Having also attended the last Summit in 2010, it was fascinating to see the change in tenor between that meeting and this one. Back then, the most common sentiments among participants were skepticism and distrust. While most anglers…

For warm weather and great fishing, it’s tough to beat a visit to South Florida. Especially in the middle of February, when temperatures here in Washington D.C. were cold enough to freeze the Potomac River (and before you ask, ice fishing here isn’t really an option unless you’re trying to turn it into a Polar Bear Plunge). Especially when you also get to see the latest and greatest in all things to do with recreational boating and fishing on display at the Progressive Miami International Boat Show, this year held February 13-17. Walking the halls of the Miami Beach Convention…

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been a big issue for us at the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), and the recreational fishing community at large, for over a decade. Much like the troll dolls of my youth, the MPA fad swept through the environmental community, which viewed closing areas of the ocean to fishing as the solution to the oceans “crisis.” As a result, all across the country anglers have faced an increasing number of MPA proposals. Of particular concern is a subset of MPAs called marine reserves in which all human activities, including fishing, are banned. Far too often these…

Many segments of the U.S. economy are being affected by the current federal government shutdown, and the nation’s $115 billion recreational fishing economy is no exception. Because Congress and the Obama Administration have been unable to come to an agreement on the Nation’s finances, anglers throughout the nation are unable to access their favorite fishing holes, and as a result thousands of small businesses that depend on access to federal lands and waters are suffering. All across the country, facilities owned and operated by the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service and Army…

Anglers in places like California who still have battle scars over efforts to designate no-fishing zones might take solace in knowing that victory is in fact possible. Or maybe you won’t, depending on whether or not you have a bitter disposition. But recent developments in the Florida Keys demonstrate the power that fishermen can have when united and engaged on issues that impact our ability to access and enjoy the nation’s public waters. For some background: the waters surrounding the Florida Keys are managed by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which is currently developing changes to its General Management…

MSA Magnuson Stevens Act 13 As I’m writing this column, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation is holding the first of many hearings to discuss reauthorizing the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), the law that governs federal (three miles to 200 miles) fisheries management in the nation’s oceans. For many anglers, the thought of Congress getting involved in fisheries issues probably doesn’t bring much comfort. This is, after all, the entity that recent polling has found to be less popular than cockroaches, traffic jams, and even Nickelback. But with the MSA set to expire later this year, everyone with…

As recreational fisherman or fisherwoman, you should take a moment to pat yourself on the back. Why? Because you’re a part of the single largest contributor towards aquatic resource conservation in the U.S. Through fishing license purchases and the excises taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat fuel, recreational fishermen contribute about $1 billion annually to fisheries management and conservation – an amount no other user group comes close to matching. We as anglers don’t just call ourselves conservationists; we put our money where our mouths are. If you didn’t know about the investments you’ve made toward fisheries conservation, don’t feel…

It’s been more than two months since Hurricane Sandy decimated a large portion of the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts, and one thing has become clear — despite the resilient nature of the people in the region, the recovery efforts will be ongoing for the foreseeable future. Talking to people who were affected and seeing and hearing reports on the news revealed in frightening detail the catastrophic effects the hurricane had on a region unprepared to withstand a storm of that magnitude. Whether controlled by Democrats or Republicans, past Congresses and Presidencies have always moved quickly to provide federal assistance…

Well, the National Park Service is at it again. In the latest example of the National Park Service continuing its trend of managing humans by locking them out, an oyster farm that has been in operation for 70 years at the Point Reyes National Seashore in northern California was suddenly shut down in late November. Surely you might think there is sound scientific reasoning behind this decision… Nope. In his directive announcing the decision, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said, “There is scientific uncertainty and lack of consensus.” What he is referring to are numerous criticisms and critiques of…

When I came to Washington, D.C. about four years ago to work on government affairs issues for the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), I really didn’t know what to expect. I never thought my career in fisheries would involve working on policy issues, but I figured, how complicated can it be? I mean, we’re talking about fishing — the most all-American, mom-and-apple-pie recreational activity there is. Whatever issues I’d be working on will surely be noncontroversial and simple to address. It didn’t take long for that naive outlook to get knocked out of my head. Over the last several years, I’ve…