why didn’t I catch more fish? 

As in years past, our combined efforts to affect fishing policy change through KeepAmericaFishing had its victories and losses. However, with the midterm elections behind us, what can we expect in 2015?

It’s no secret that Congress didn’t do much more than limp along in 2014. Most legislators were either in elections; were wary of working with anyone in an election or wary of working with anyone on the other side of the aisle – which meant nothing really got started, let alone finished.

We narrowly survived the threat of another fiscal cliff and another government shutdown.  A national newspaper stated that this Congress went out the way it came in, in complete disarray. I don’t want to jinx myself, but can it get any worse? I certainly hope not. In fact, I am, perhaps, naively hopeful. With the same majority controlling both the House and Senate maybe the rusted wheels of Congress will get a shot of WD-40 and start to move this term.

Congress runs in two-year increments, so the upcoming 114th will run for 2015 and 2016. During the next two years of the 114th Congress there are big ticket items for the recreational fishing community that need to be accomplished. One is the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act , better known as MSA, and the reauthorization of the Sport Fish and Boating Trust Fund which expires in May. We also hope that a package of sportsmen’ conservation bills will be introduced and that the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act might finally gain momentum.

If you read our blogs, you will know that these bills and ideas have been in the works for years, but one has to realize that gaining traction in Congress for any of them is a slow, grueling process.

Please remember that while bill text may be the same from year to year, bill numbers change and your support is just as important – and needed now – as it was the first time you wrote to your Congressional member. They all need to hear from you why it’s so important to support certain bills or to hear your opposition to certain bills.

Remember to stand up and voice your opinions!

The 113th Congress has ridden into the sunset, but maybe the 114th Congress will see some new light? We can only hope.

“One of ASA’s most important functions is advocating for our members, and for the broader recreational fishing community, when issues arise that have the potential to enhance or undermine the sportfishing industry’s prospects in the years ahead,” said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman. “Recreational fishing’s issues can almost always be grouped under three fundamental topics – clean waters, abundant fish and access to both. We saw significant progress in each of these areas in 2014, although our work is far from over.”

“By providing anglers with a voice when important issues arise that impact recreational fishing, KeepAmericaFishing, ASA’s angler advocacy arm, played an active role in these significant achievements, as well as many others,” said KeepAmericaFishing Director Liz Ogilvie. “KeepAmericaFishing is one of the most powerful tools the sportfishing industry has to ensure a vibrant future.”

A Landmark Vision for Saltwater Recreational Fishing
Congress is currently revising the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the law that governs our nation’s marine resources.

In early 2014, the Commission on Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Management, co-chaired by Bass Pro Shops founder and CEO John Morris and Maverick Boats President Scott Deal, released “A Vision for Managing America’s Saltwater Recreational Fisheries.” This landmark report identifies six key policies that would conserve marine fishing resources while producing the full range of saltwater recreational fishing’s economic, social and conservation benefits.

The commission’s priorities are supported by members of Congress and are included in draft Magnuson-Stevens reauthorization bills. In addition, NOAA Fisheries committed to achieving the Commission’s first recommendation, to develop a national recreational fishing policy, which is expected to be released in early 2015.

Maine and the Outcry Over Banning Soft Lures
Thanks in large part to stiff opposition from anglers and industry, Maine decided not to ban soft plastic lures in 2014. Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife studied the issue and concluded that a ban on soft plastic lures wasn’t warranted which was adopted by the state’s legislature.

Despite this significant achievement, it is anticipated that legislative proposals to restrict or ban soft plastic lures will reemerge in 2015.

In 2015, ASA is preparing to engage with the Maine legislature to stop any bills from moving forward that would unnecessarily restrict anglers’ ability to fish with soft plastic lures. KeepAmericaFishing is launching a proactive campaign to educate anglers on proper disposal of unused or unwanted soft plastic lures.

The Pacific Marine Monument
Last September, President Obama signed a proclamation expanding the existing Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to six times its current size, creating the largest marine reserve in the world.

Although the proclamation bans commercial fishing, deep-sea mining and other commercial extraction methods, recreational fishing is allowed. Acknowledging that recreational fishing is a sustainable use of a public resource, especially in one as pristine as this area of the Pacific, is a distinction for which the recreational fishing community has been advocating for many years.

Our Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery
In a move overwhelmingly supported by the recreational fishing industry, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved implementing a 25 percent striped bass harvest reduction for coastal states for both the commercial and recreational fishing sectors within one year. The Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions’ reduction percentage is set at 20.5 percent.

ASA and KeepAmericaFishing strongly advocated for this harvest reduction. The reduction will help to safeguard this very popular and economically important fishery from overfishing which could trigger drastic restrictions on recreational fishing.

Congress Steps Up to Protect Traditional Fishing Tackle
A provision to prohibit federal funds from being used to regulate lead fishing tackle and ammunition under the Toxic Substance Control Act was included in the end-of-year omnibus federal spending bill. On multiple occasions, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been petitioned by anti-fishing organizations to federally ban fishing tackle containing lead based on its impact on wildlife, a position that is not based on sound science.

While the EPA has consistently rejected these petitions, ASA has advocated for a permanent fix to prevent an unnecessary ban from being approved. The temporary legislative fix provided in the federal spending bill supports and reinforces the EPA’s previous decisions and will aid ASA in its efforts toward a permanent solution, possibly through inclusion in a Sportsmen’s Package bill in the 114th Congress.

A Renewed Effort to Reestablish Access at Cape Hatteras
Legislation to restore reasonable public access to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area in North Carolina, one of the premier surf fishing locations in the United States, has passed the Senate and is expected to be signed into law.

Off-road vehicle (ORV) access to the seashore is essential for surf fishing from the beaches, as well as for many other recreational activities. In December 2010, the National Park Service approved an ORV management plan that closed extensive areas of the seashore to the public and severely limited ORV access to provide protections for shorebirds and other wildlife.

The legislation requires the Secretary of the Interior to review and modify the final ORV rule, taking into account several important factors to better accommodate public access.

Nussman concluded, “None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the collective efforts of our members and the numerous partner organizations with whom we work. As we look ahead to 2015 and beyond, our industry must continue to strengthen existing partnerships and build new ones to be able to address the increasing number of legislative and policy issues that will impact American’s ability to get our on the water and enjoy a day’s fishing.”

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The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry a unified voice, speaking out on behalf of sportfishing and boating industries, state and federal natural resource agencies, conservation organizations, angler advocacy groups and outdoor journalists when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. ASA invests in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous, as well as safeguard and promote the enduring social, economic and conservation values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America’s 60 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways through KeepAmericaFishing™, our angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate over $48 billion in retail sales with a $115 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for more than 828,000 people.

Alexandria, VA – December 15, 2014 – Legislation that will restore reasonable public access to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area in North Carolina, one of the premier surf fishing locations in the United States, has passed the Senate and is expected to be signed into law.

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) applauds the passage of the Preserving Public Access to Cape Hatteras Beaches Act, which seeks to modify a management plan that unnecessarily restricts public access to the national seashore area. The measure was one of 44 public lands provisions included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, which passed the U.S. Senate on December 12.

“After many years of working with local organizations, businesses and government officials to seek relief to the National Park Service’s overly restrictive closures, we are gratified that Congress recognized the problem and set in motion a plan to restore reasonable public access in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area,” said ASA’s Ocean Resource Policy Director Mike Leonard. “While this is just the beginning of the review process, this legislation should provide for some tangible changes for the community and the millions of visitors who come to the area each year.”

Off-road vehicle (ORV) access to the seashore is essential for surf fishing from the beaches, as well as for many other recreational activities. In December 2010, the National Park Service approved an ORV management plan that closed extensive areas of the seashore to the public and severely limited ORV access to provide protections for shorebirds and other wildlife.

Leonard noted, “The final ORV plan, which went into effect in February 2012, had a devastating impact on the local economy, which is largely dependent upon tourism and recreation.”

“After spending the last several years seeing and experiencing the negative impacts that the ORV rule has had on our community, it’s encouraging to know that we have an opportunity for change,” said Bob Eakes, president of Red Drum Tackle Shop, Inc., Buxton, N.C., and an ASA Government Affairs committee member. “Everyone here recognizes the importance of the area’s wildlife, but a more reasonable management approach needs to be found that better balances public access to our public beaches while still helping to ensure conservation of our wildlife resources.”

The Preserving Public Access to Cape Hatteras Beaches Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to review and modify the final ORV rule to better accommodate public access, including: minimizing the size and duration of closures based on peer-reviewed science; allowing access corridors around closed areas; accommodating night-time driving; and constructing new vehicle access sites.

The full text of the Preserving Public Access to Cape Hatteras Beaches Act can be found here. More information about Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area access issues can be found on ASA’s website.

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The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry a unified voice, speaking out on behalf of sportfishing and boating industries, state and federal natural resource agencies, conservation organizations, angler advocacy groups and outdoor journalists when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. ASA invests in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous, as well as safeguard and promote the enduring social, economic and conservation values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America’s 60 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways through KeepAmericaFishing™, our angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate over $48 billion in retail sales with a $115 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for more than 828,000 people.

Alexandria, VA – December 10, 2014 – A provision to prohibit federal funds from being used to regulate lead fishing tackle and ammunition under the Toxic Substance Control Act was included in the omnibus federal spending bill released yesterday. The American Sportfishing Association (ASA), which strongly supports this action, has been working for the past several years on passage of similar legislation that will provide a permanent exemption for traditional fishing tackle.

“We applaud Congressional leadership, and House and Senate appropriators, for protecting the nation’s 60 million anglers from unjustified restrictions on fishing equipment that anglers have safely used for decades,” said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman. “On multiple occasions, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been petitioned by anti-fishing organizations to federally ban fishing tackle containing lead based on its impact on wildlife, a position that is not based on sound science.”

Nussman further said, “While the EPA has consistently rejected these petitions, we have advocated all along for a permanent fix to prevent an unnecessary ban from being approved. This temporary legislative fix supports and reinforces the EPA’s previous decisions and will aid us in our efforts toward a permanent solution, hopefully through inclusion in a Sportsmen’s Package bill in the 114th Congress. Continuing efforts to set aside the EPA’s rulings through petitions and lawsuits demonstrate a clear need for a permanent, legislative solution.”

The spending bill’s text exempting lead fishing tackle and ammunition from regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act can be found here. More information on ASA’s continuing efforts against bans on lead fishing tackle can be found on ASA’s issue webpage. The omnibus spending bill, which is a short-term measure to keep the federal government operating for the near future, is expected to be signed into law in the coming days.

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The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry a unified voice, speaking out on behalf of sportfishing and boating industries, state and federal natural resource agencies, conservation organizations, angler advocacy groups and outdoor journalists when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. ASA invests in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous, as well as safeguard and promote the enduring social, economic and conservation values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America’s 60 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways through KeepAmericaFishing™, our angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate over $48 billion in retail sales with a $115 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for more than 828,000 people.

Alexandria, VA – October 29, 2014 – The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Council recently voted 10-7 to approve Amendment 40, also known as sector separation, which would divide the recreational red snapper quota between individual recreational fishermen and charter/for-hire captains.

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is strongly opposed to sector separation and is deeply troubled that this poorly conceived and detrimental plan was passed by the Gulf Council. In its 2013 position paper on sector separation, ASA urged federal fishery managers to remove saltwater recreational sector separation from all management plan discussions. ASA believes that sector separation will create serious conflicts between private anglers and charter/for-hire captains, and further diminish recreational fishing opportunities for red snapper.

“While we understand the charter/for-hire position, we in the tackle industry don’t see Amendment 40 as being in the best interests of the entire recreational fishing community,” said Gary Zurn, Big Rock Sports SVP Industry Relations. “The economic impacts of sector separation have not been clearly determined, but we know it will have a significant financial impact on the coastal communities and businesses throughout the Gulf region that support recreational fishing.”

Earlier this year, a landmark report produced by the Commission on Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Management presented a new paradigm for conserving marine fishing resources while producing the full range of saltwater recreational fishing’s economic, social and conservation benefits. A Vision for Managing America’s Saltwater Recreational Fisheries outlines the nation’s most important recreational fisheries management issues and is intended to help guide federal policy decisions.

“The reason Maverick Boats President Scott Deal and I initiated the Commission on Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Management was because we were concerned about the increasing number of saltwater fisheries management decisions that are limiting anglers’ ability to enjoy time on the water,” said Bass Pro Shops founder and CEO John Morris and the commission’s co-chair along with Deal. “We need everyone involved in saltwater fisheries management, including that of Gulf red snapper, to come together and collectively work to realize the commission’s vision.”

“The commission’s vision for managing our nation’s saltwater fisheries is based on conservation, economics and public access,” said Deal. “The idea of sector separation is in direct contrast with the commission’s vision. This move is not based in sound science or good economics. It is an effort to band aid a poor federal fisheries management system needing major surgery.”

A small glimmer of hope for the future of recreational management of Gulf red snapper was provided by a last minute attachment to Amendment 40 that requires a three year “sunset,” which means that unless the Council takes action to continue sector separation it will expire after three years. This provision was introduced into the discussion once it became evident that the permanent sector separation proposal had the votes within the Council for passage.

While sector separation is now scheduled to go into effect for up to the next three years, the sunset provision stops any forward movement on bringing catch shares into the temporarily separated recreational sectors and prevents a permanent implementation strategy.

In addition, the five Gulf states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida) agreed on a path forward for regional management (formally known as Amendment 39) that would give each state control over the recreational fishery off their coast, in both state and federal waters, in a way that better meets the needs of the recreational fishing community.

“The most important and valuable action at the Council level for the sportfishing industry is to support the states’ efforts to develop a regional management plan as quickly as possible and to help ensure that it be implemented prior to the sunset of sector separation,” said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman.

The states’ big stumbling block was how to divide the allowable catch among the states. However, the states agreed to an allocation formula during the meeting, as well as a timing strategy for implementation. This gives the Gulf states a strong incentive to agree upon a regional management structure by the time sector separation expires.