Overview of the Issue
On September 23, 2022, Reps. Maria Salazar (R-FL) and Don McEachin (D-VA) and Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the Youth Coastal Fishing Program Act into the House and Senate respectively.
This important legislation fills a programming gap within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which manages federal marine fisheries, by creating a new grant program within the Department of Commerce, administered by NOAA, to fund community-based programs that take youth fishing in the ocean and on Great Lakes. Under the bill, priority will be given to projects dedicated to underserved communities.
The legislation will provide a total of $2 million in grants to projects that include a recreational fishing experience, offer education about marine service and conservation or provide information on where and how to fish. This program would improve equitable access to nature by providing youth with experiences they otherwise may never receive and set them on a path to continued participation in outdoor recreation.
What ASA is Doing
In addition to the hard work of the ASA Government Affairs team, ASA engaged KAF Supporters on the Atlantic coast, the Pacific coast and in the Great Lakes region asking them to comment on this important issue. Over 400,000 emails were sent out on this important issue.
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