Sportfishing Industry Applauds Reintroduction of SHARKED Act
The sportfishing industry and recreational fishing community applaud the reintroduction of the Supporting the Health of Aquatic Systems Through Research, Knowledge and Enhanced Dialogue (SHARKED) Act (HR 207) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Building on the momentum from the 118th Congress, we are encouraged to see this critical legislation given such early recognition in the new session.
The bipartisan SHARKED Act, introduced by Reps. Rob Wittman (R-VA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Daniel Webster (R-FL) and Marc Veasey (D-TX), directs NOAA to establish a task force to reduce shark depredation, or the consumption of all or part of a hooked fish before the angler can land their catch.
Great Lake Restoration Initiative Introduced in House
On January 9, a bipartisan coalition of Great Lakes Region representatives introduced the bill to reauthorize funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) through 2031. Led by Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH), the bill provides critical funding for sportfishing industry priorities such as aquatic invasive species management, water quality improvements, habitat restoration, and pollution prevention. ASA proudly endorsed this bill.
Since 2010, GLRI has provided more than $4.1 billion to fund 8,000 projects. Click below to read more from Rep. Joyce.
Webinar: The Business case for Sustainability – Insights from Industry Leaders
Join ASA on January 15 at 1:00 PM ET for an inspiring panel discussion on The Business Case for Sustainability, moderated by Rick Crawford, President of Emerger Strategies. Featuring industry leaders Chelsea Willingham (AFTCO) Lisa VanBladeren (YETI), and Daniel Nussbaum (Z-Man Fishing Products), this webinar will explore how integrating sustainability into business operations protects the environment and boosts profitability. This webinar will feature topics covered in ASA’s Sustainability Toolkit. Click the link below to register.
Support Recreational Management Reform for Fluke, Scup, Black Sea Bass and Bluefish
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council are jointly considering changes to the process for setting recreational management measures (bag limits, size restrictions and seasons) for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass and bluefish.
Recognizing the importance of this action and the complexity and technical nature of this document, Keep America Fishing created a guide to help the recreational fishing community participate in the public input process.
Click the link below to make your voice heard and tell the ASMFC that recreational management reform is needed.
US Trade Representative Releases Report on Supply Chain Reform
Last week, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) unveiled “Adapting Trade Policy for Supply Chain Resilience: Responding to Today’s Global Economic Challenges,” a series of six policy papers detailing strategies to enhance supply chain resilience. Of particular interest to ASA was USTR’s call to Congress revisit the de minimis exemption, either by excluding certain product types or entirely reconsidering the exemption to address its unintended consequences on supply chain resilience, labor rights, and fair trade.
In November, ASA sent a letter to Congress asking to rescind de minimis eligibility for sportfishing equipment subject to the federal excise tax. ASA will continue pursuing this much-needed fix during the 119th Congress.
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.
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