KAF: Vote on Monumental Sportsmen’s Legislation Expected Soon

   09.14.12

Urge your Senators to support this historic package of fishing legislation

Next week, 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 19 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.

The Senate is expected to vote on this bill by Thursday, September 20. With this important vote quickly approaching, it is critical that you send a message to your Senators now.

Background

Originally proposed in June as an amendment to the Farm Bill, the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 ultimately was ruled non-germane to the Farm Bill and was not included. Fortunately, Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), along with eight co-sponsors, has introduced the bill as a standalone bill, with a vote expected before the current session ends next week.

Individual bills of particular importance to the sportfishing community in the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 include:

  • 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 amending the Toxic Substances Control Act.
  • Billfish Conservation Act (S. 1451) – CConserves declining billfish populations by prohibiting the commercial sale and importation of billfish throughout the U.S., with exceptions for Hawaii and the Pacific Insular Area islands to preserve traditional fishing practices.
  • 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 efforts in order to maintain idle drilling platforms as valuable artificial fish reefs.

Take Action!

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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.

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