On April 24th and 25th, more than two dozen members from across the country joined ASA staff for our annual Government Affairs Committee Meeting in Alexandria, VA. This year’s gathering brought diverse industry representation together for vibrant discussions around critical issues facing the sportfishing industry and the recreational fishing community.
We were also honored to be joined by Congressional staff from the offices of Senator Lindsay Graham, House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman, Congressman Garrett Graves and John Rutherford who provided updates from the Hill and answered questions.
ASA staff were proud to announce some hard-earned legislative victories during the 118th Congress, including the passage of the SHARKED Act and EXPLORE Act in the House of Representatives and the ACE Reauthorization Act passing the Senate. We’ve also seen the introduction of priority legislation such as the MAPWaters and MAPOceans Acts, and the Youth Coastal Fishing Program Act.
Over two days of meetings, thoughtful discussions were held around the current state of NOAA’s proposed North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Speed Restrictions, which was sent to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs earlier this year for final decision. ASA and our partners will continue to promote sensible technological safety alternatives as opposed to the draconian measures presented by NOAA that stand to hamstring the entire recreational fishing and boating industry on the East Coast.
Regional fisheries policy directors provided thoughtful updates on issues facing important fisheries such as striped bass, red snapper, and Pacific salmon. As a result of the hard work of members, the committee, and staff, fisheries conservation wins, such as blocking bans on traditional fishing tackle, are being seen across the country.
Unfortunately, there are still hills to climb to preserve the rights of more than 55 million Americans to fish and one of the biggest holes to fill remains accurate and reliable data on fish stocks. Despite pleas from the sportfishing community and Members of Congress, federal agencies have not taken the steps necessary to fill gaps in data on stocks, such as Red Snapper, to allow responsible management of the species.
After a day and a half of discussion, Committee members joined ASA staff to meet with 18 Congressional offices to advocate for ASA priorities – clean water, abundant fisheries, and access to both.
To cap off the event, our team attended the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership for their annual Conservation Awards Dinner, where Representatives Debbie Dingle and Westerman were celebrated. We also co-hosted a reception with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.
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