2021 Legislative Year in Review

As we look towards 2022, the American Sportfishing Association is proud of its Government Affairs team’s national and regional 2021 accomplishments.

ASA concentrates on the laws, policies and trade decisions that can help or hinder or members business prospects.

Learn more about the ASA’s policy priorities for 2022.

National Victories

• Promoted a well-balanced approach to conservation as part of the 30 by 30 initiative, which aims to conserve 30% of all public lands and waters by 2030. Initial reports from President Biden’s America the Beautiful initiative are very much in line with ASA’s vision for conservation that enhances recreational access.
• Helped secure inclusion of several ASA-support provisions in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This included the reauthorization of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund and the authorization of $1 billion in federal funding to restore culverts that currently block the passage of anadromous fish.
  

Pacific Victories

• Supported a $172 million investment for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
• Achieved Senate passage of the Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act which will ban large mesh drift gillnets in Pacific waters.
  

Southeast Victories

• Succeeded in protecting a multi-species spawning area near Western Dry Rocks in the Florida Keys.
• Oversaw the signing of the DESCEND Act, which requires fishing vessels to have devices that help improve the survival rates of Gulf of Mexico reef fish.
• Supported efforts throughout Florida to combat coral disease and restore coral reefs.
• Celebrated major milestones towards Everglades restoration projects, such as the completion of the C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area.
  

Atlantic Victories

• Defeated the development of a limited entry program for the charter component of New England’s recreational groundfish fishery, which would have divided and pitted one segment of the recreational fishing community against the other.
• Succeeded in advocating for a longer rebuilding timeline for bluefish and an allocation shift that will improve access for the recreational fishery throughout the rebuilding process.
• Ensured that stronger conservation goals for striped bass were upheld, helping to rebuild the striped bass fishery.
• Worked with fishery managers to develop an innovative management approach for summer flounder, scup and black sea bass that would provide more regulatory stability, flexibility and accessibility.
• Succeeded in reduced Atlantic menhaden quotas to account for the importance of menhaden as forage for striped bass.
  

Inland Victories

• Supported reauthorization of the Abandoned Mine Land Trust Fund, ensuring that an additional $11.3 billion was added to the Fund for mine cleanup and water quality enhancements.
• Protected Bristol Bay’s world-famous sockeye fishery from large-scale mining impacts as the EPA resumed its Pebble Mine 404(c) veto process.
• Supported the introduction of the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative (MRRRI) Act, a major non-regulatory conservation initiative that aims to support fisheries and combat invasive species in the Mississippi River.
• Included regional water conservation investment funding for the Great Lakes and other inland watersheds through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
• Defeated a Minnesota state bill that would have banned many types of lead jigs and sinkers.