Weekly Policy Watch Updates From the ASA
Your weekly look at how ASA’s government affairs team is hard at work supporting sound fisheries policies throughout the country.
ASA Intervenes in Lawsuit to Ensure Successful Implementation of the Modern Fish Act
Last week, ASA’s legal motion was granted to intervene as a defendant in a federal court lawsuit brought by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) that challenges a revised process for managing the recreational fisheries for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. ASA is concerned that if NRDC obtains the relief that it seeks in its lawsuit, it will take away economically valuable recreational fishing access to these sustainably managed fisheries. Learn more
ASA Endorses Petition to Regulate Commercial Fishing Nets
ASA and other conservation organizations endorsed a petition calling on the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) to increase regulation of industrial menhaden fishing by Omega Protein in Virginia’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay. The petition urges the commonwealth’s fishery regulators to prohibit the use of large “purse seine” nets in shallow waters of the Bay in order to minimize fish spills, bycatch and damage to the seabed. We encourage individuals to contact the VMRC through our website and urge them to protect menhaden from industrial-scale fishing. Learn more
Support the SHARKED Act
Congress recently held a subcommittee hearing on the Supporting the Health of Aquatic systems through Research, Knowledge and Enhanced Dialogue (SHARKED) Act, the bill would establish a task force comprised of fisheries managers and shark experts. This bill would be the first step towards mitigating shark depredation nationwide. Use our Keep America Fishing action alert portal to send a message to your members of Congress in support of this bill today! Send a message
Politics of Fish Update
Josh Phillips, Owner and President of Spawn Fly Fish, joins host Mike Leonard to talk about his background, his experience starting a fly shop in the small town in coastal Washington of Ilwaco, and recently testifying before the Small Business Committee in the US House of Representatives. The hearing focused on the challenges of small business entrepreneurs in rural areas, and Josh provided some insightful testimony on issues that people in more populated areas may take for granted, like broadband access, local banking options and the high cost of essential services. He was also able to make the connection of the importance of sustainable natural resources and fishing businesses like his.
About
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.