FishSmart for the Future

FishSmart is a program driven by the sportfishing industry to benefit anglers and our fisheries resources. Whether you are an angler, a business or a conservation organization, FishSmart will help you improve how we enhance our fisheries now and for the future.

For more information about FishSmart, visit www.FishSmart.org.

What is FishSmart?

Working with fisheries management organizations at the state and federal level, FishSmart focuses on three main areas: 

• Communicating with anglers - The benefits of improving the survival of released fish and implementing best practices.
• Research - Identifying needed research to help improve the survival of catch-and-release fish.
• Partnerships - Building strong connections between the recreational fishing community, fisheries management organizations and agencies and conservation organizations to work towards sustainable recreational fishing opportunities.

A Growing Need for Conservation

Saltwater recreational anglers release more than 210 million fish each year. This is nearly 3 times more than they keep. Nationwide, more than 80 percent of anglers release some fish that they legally could have kept.

Making sure that we do everything possible to help released fish survive is not only an important part of conservation; it is the right thing to do!