Vote on Monumental Sportsmen’s Legislation Expected as Soon as Today
KeepAmericaFishing 06.13.12
As soon as today, your U.S. Senators are expected to vote on the most comprehensive package of sportsmen’s legislation in recent years. The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 has 19 bills that impact 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.
Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) introduced the Sportsmen’s Act as an amendment to the Senate’s 2012 Farm Bill on Friday, June 8. The Senate is expected to vote on its inclusion this week.
With this important vote looming, it is critical that you send a message to your Senators today.
From improving habitat conservation to increasing public access, passage of the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 would represent one of the biggest advancements for recreational fishing in history. Please contact your Senators today urging them to support its passage as an amendment to the 2012 Farm Bill.
The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 includes:
- Making Public Lands Public Act (S. 901) –Increases access for angling, hunting and recreational shooting on federal lands, by directing 1.5 percent of the Land and Water Conservation Fund to ensure access to fishing, hunting and other recreational activities.
- The Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act (S. 838) – Blocks ongoing attempts to federally ban lead in recreational fishing equipment and ammunition by clarifying the Toxic Substances Control Act.
- Billfish Conservation Act (S. 1451) – Conserves declining billfish populations by prohibiting the commercial sale and importation of billfish throughout the U.S., with an exception in the state of Hawaii and the Pacific Insular Area islands to preserve traditional fisheries.
- National Fish Habitat Conservation Act (S. 1201) – Authorizes the National Fish Habitat Partnership, the most comprehensive effort ever attempted to conserve, restore and enhance fish habitat on a range-wide scale.
- Artificial Reefs in the Gulf of Mexico – Requires the Department of the Interior to coordinate federal and state agency efforts in order to maintain idle drilling platforms as valuable artificial fish reefs.
Click here to send your message today!
KeepAmericaFishing is the fastest growing community of anglers united with one common goal -- to protect our right to sustainably fish on our nation's waterways. As the voice of the American angler, KeepAmericaFishing works to keep our public resources – our oceans, lakes, rivers and streams – open, clean and abundant with fish.
Across the country, preventing or limiting recreational anglers’ access to public waters fisheries is being touted as a new way to manage fish populations. This unprecedented shift undermines the achievements of proven fisheries management methods that focus on conservation and promote sustainable fishing. As a result, the past 10 years have seen a dramatic increase in bans on recreational fishing from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from Texas to Minnesota.
In an effort to combat access restrictions around the country, the American Sportfishing Association launched KeepAmericaFishing to unite the nation’s 60 million anglers under one voice. Through policy, science and conservation, KeepAmericaFishing works to minimize access restrictions, promote clean waters and restore fish populations. With its conservation partners, KeepAmericaFishing works to limit and provide for review and revision science-based closures to areas in which they are clearly beneficial to the health of the fishery.
At KeepAmericaFishing, we are working to give voice to the millions of American recreational anglers who share one thing in common - a passion for fishing.
