A Look Ahead: Sportfishing Policy Priorities in the New Year
Unquestionably, 2025 was a year marked by uncertainty. From tariffs to the longest federal shutdown in our nation’s history, every week seemed to bring its own surprise. As we start the new year, several outstanding recreational fishing policy priorities remain on the to-do list for the Trump administration, Congress and federal agencies.
Click below to read more about what’s ahead in 2026 and how ASA is working to advance the priorities of the recreational fishing industry.
MAPWaters Act Becomes Law
On December 26, President Trump signed the Modernizing Access to our Public Waters (MAPWaters) Act into law. The MAPWaters Act will improve recreation on federal waterways by investing in modern technology to provide anglers, hunters, boaters, and other water users the information they need to safely and legally access and utilize public waters administered by federal agencies.
This newly digitized public information would include:
- Status information on which waterways are open or closed to entry or watercraft, including watercraft inspection or decontamination requirements.
- The areas of waterways with restrictions on motorized propulsion, horsepower, or gasoline fuel.
- Types of watercraft that are restricted on each area of a waterway.
- The location and geographic boundaries of fishing restrictions on recreational and commercial fishing.
- Fishing restrictions concerning specific types of equipment or bait.
Click the link below to read more.
Tariff Refunds Will Only be Issued Electronically After February 5
Starting February 6, 2026, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will no longer issue tariff refunds via paper checks and instead will ONLY issue refunds electronically through Automated Clearing House (ACH) via the Automated Commercial Environment Secure Data Portal (ACE Portal). Instructions to enroll can be accessed by clicking here.
Importers and other related parties are encouraged to enroll before February 5. Similarly, businesses relying on their customs brokers or freight forwarders to conduct their customs business should contact their account manager to ensure a smooth transition.
The change stems from Executive Order 14247 issued March 25, 2025, requiring payments from the U.S. Federal Government be digitized. Subsequent rules guiding CBP’ s implementation of this modernization are outlined in FR Document 2025-24171, and CSMS #67270895.
ASA’s Gary Jennings Reappointed as ASMFC Commissioner
On December 22, Governor Ron DeSantis reappointed Gary Jennings, Keep Florida Fishing Director at ASA, to another 3-year term on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate, which will convene on January 13 for the 2026 Regular Session.
Mr. Jennings was first appointed in 2022. Click below to read the official release from Gov. DeSantis.
About The American Sportfishing Association
The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the sportfishing and boating industries as well as the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry and anglers a unified voice when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. ASA invests in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous, as well as safeguard and promote the enduring economic, conservation and social values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America’s 55 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways through Keep America Fishing, our national angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate nearly $50 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for 800,000 people.
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