Government Affairs – 2022 Policy Priorities

In 2022, we hope to continue our efforts to promote conservation and grow the sportfishing industry through the following policy priorities:

National Priorities

• Continue to engage in 30 by 30 policy development to ensure that fishery resources are properly conserved while recreational fishing access is maintained and enhanced.
• Advocate for the enactment of bills that encourage conservation, including the Outdoor Recreation Act, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, the Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act and the Forage Fish Conservation Act.
• Support a positive business climate for the sportfishing industry through a range of trade and commerce issues, including tariffs and fair federal excise tax collections.

Pacific Priorities

• Monitor and engage in federal drought legislation to ensure salmon and other fish are not harmed by water policies.
• Oppose the creation of new unwarranted marine reserves or other deterrents to recreational fishing access in California, as part of the state’s 30 by 30 initiative.
• Advocate against the expanded use of longlines and other detrimental commercial fishing gear.

Southeast Priorities

• Address challenges with recreational fishing access to reef fish in the Gulf and snapper grouper in the Atlantic, particularly the red snapper.
• Improve recreational data collection to better inform fisheries stock assessments and management decisions.
• Support funding and increasing momentum opportunities on Everglades restoration projects.
• Continue to promote the importance of clean water to abundant fisheries, and access to both, and support funding for water quality improvements.
• Keep supporting groundbreaking work to propagate and restore corals in southeast Florida and the Keys and prevent management actions that would affect angler access.

Atlantic Priorities

• Work with offshore wind energy developers to improve recreational stakeholder engagement.
• Support the finalization and implementation of recreational management reform for the region’s coastal fisheries.
• Help buttress thoughtful management options that balance responsible fishing access and resource conservation to rebuild the striped bass fishery.
• Oppose the development of recreational sector separation in several Mid-Atlantic fisheries.

Inland Priorities

• Secure conservation funding for crucial freshwater fisheries by passing the MRRRI Act, and working to reauthorize the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act.
• Continue working with partner groups, including TRCP, NMMA and Boat.US, and engage in the development of a new independent commission to provide recommendations to assess the persistent threat of aquatic invasive species and identify new solutions.
• Oppose the development of mining projects that threaten key sportfishing locations at the Congressional and agency levels.
• Defend access for anglers and advocate for enhanced recreational facilities on public waters.
• Defeat unwarranted bans on lead tackle and soft plastics through proactive engagement with state legislatures.

Please check in with this web page for more updates on our 2022 priorities and future victories.