NOAA Fisheries Commits to Developing a National Recreational Fishing Policy
Spurred on by the sportfishing and boating community, the new policy will better integrate recreational fishing into NOAA Fisheries’ mission
An announcement by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that NOAA Fisheries will develop a national recreational fishing policy was greeted enthusiastically by sportfishing and boating leaders, who have urged the agency to adopt exactly this approach to define and coordinate efforts throughout the federal government, and particularly the National Marine Fisheries Service, to advance saltwater recreational fishing.
NOAA Fisheries’ announcement capped off its national Saltwater Recreational Fishing Summit held April 1-2, in Alexandria, Va. Leaders from the saltwater recreational fishing and boating community met with NOAA Fisheries’ leadership to assess recent progress, identify goals and strengthen ties between NOAA and stakeholder groups.
“With the ‘Vision for Managing America’s Saltwater Recreational Fisheries’ report as our guiding document, we came to the NOAA Summit with a clear vision for where saltwater recreational fisheries management must go,” said American Sportfishing Association President and CEO Mike Nussman. “NOAA is clearly listening, as evidenced by their immediate commitment to accomplish the first goal of the report: to establish a national policy for saltwater recreational fisheries management. We’re looking forward to working with NOAA to accomplish this goal, as well as the other key recommendations presented in the report.”
The announcement comes on the heels of a recent series of meetings on Capitol Hill during which the Commission on Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Management, co-chaired by Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops, and Scott Deal, president of Maverick Boats, presented recommendations from “A Vision for Managing America’s Saltwater Recreational Fisheries.” This new report outlines recreational fisheries management issues that need to be addressed in the congressional reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, the law that governs the nation’s marine resources. Chief among those recommendations is the establishment of a national policy for recreational saltwater fishing.
“In order for our nation to understand and embrace the positive aspects of recreational saltwater fishing in this country – be they the economic, cultural or quality-of-life benefits – our fisheries managers need to have policies and laws that reflect recreational interests,” said Deal. “NOAA has demonstrated it is ready to develop those policies.
The commission, composed of anglers, scientists, former agency administrators, conservationists and economists, as well as prominent members of the industry, wants to ensure that saltwater recreational fishing becomes a priority of NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. In 2011, approximately 11 million Americans saltwater fished recreationally, making them one of NOAA’s largest organized constituencies and one with a substantial economic impact.
“America’s 11 million saltwater recreational anglers spent $27 billion in 2011, generating more than $70 billion and sustaining 450,000 jobs,” said Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The importance of this economic sector – and its contributions to fisheries habitat and conservation via excise taxes, donations and license fees – cannot be ignored. We commend NOAA Fisheries for acknowledging it.”
Contributors to the work of the commission include the American Sportfishing Association, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Berkley Conservation Institute, Center for Coastal Conservation, Coastal Conservation Association, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, International Game Fish Association, National Marine Manufacturers Association, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and The Billfish Foundation, as well as Bass Pro Shops and Maverick Boats.
In 1912 Theodore Roosevelt said, “There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country.” While in the political arena, he succeeded in making conservation a top tier national issue.
T.R. had the foresight to address these issues still so significant to sportsmen today, understanding that if we want to ensure critical habitat, special hunting grounds and secret fishing holes will be around for future generations, we must plan carefully today.
The TRCP is working to guarantee all Americans a quality place to hunt and fish.
