Government Affairs
National Fish Habitat Action Plan
The Issue
The American Sportfishing Association (ASA), along with other fisheries conservation groups, has actively worked for the past several years to pass legislation – the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act (NFHCA) – that would serve to better conserve, restore, and enhance fish habitats. The foundation for the NFHCA is the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP) which provides a national framework for maintaining and restoring fish habitat.
Our Goal
While there are numerous efforts underway to address declining fishery health on local scales, there is a need for conservation action on a range-wide scale for these efforts to be successful. The goal of the NFHCA is to foster partnerships among conservation groups to achieve coordination of on-the-ground efforts for aquatic systems across the country. Combining the collective energy of state and federal agencies with local partners offers the best chance of success.
Legislative Background
The NFHCA was first introduced in the 110th Congress. Though the Senate and House bills were not heard before the Congress adjourned, they served as the foundation for re-introduction in the 111th and 112th Congresses.
The NFHCA was reintroduced in the 111th Congress as S. 1214 and H.R. 2565 by Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Representative Ron Kind (D-Wis.) On December 3, 2009, ASA Vice President Gordon Robertson testified before the United States Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works’ Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife in support of S. 1214. The legislation was one of several bills that ASA worked hard to get passed before the 111th Congress concluded. Despite having the bill ready for a floor vote as both a stand-alone bill and in a package with others bills, time ran out.
On June 15, 2011, Senator Lieberman reintroduced the NFHCA as S. 1201. There is currently no companion bill in the House of Representatives. ASA continues to regularly meet with other members of the NFHCA legislative team to discuss strategy for getting the NFHCA passed during the 112th Congress.
The NFHCA represents a national investment strategy that will extend the impact of our nation’s conservation dollars. The NFHCA will leverage federal and privately raised funds to build regional partnerships aimed at fixing the nation’s biggest fisheries problems. This is the most comprehensive effort ever attempted to treat the causes of fish habitat decline, not just the symptoms.
Issue Background
Healthy waterways and robust fish populations are vital to the well-being of our society. They provide clean water and sustainable fisheries. Unfortunately, in many waters around the country, fish and the habitats on which they depend are in decline. This is of huge concern to the 40 million anglers who pursue fish recreationally and countless others who depend on them for subsistence and commerce.
The economic contribution of recreational fisheries alone surpassed $125 billion in 2006. The value of fish habitat—freshwater and marine—goes well beyond angling for and harvesting fish. A tremendous amount of work has been undertaken to protect, restore and enhance aquatic habitats because of their biological and ecological importance.
Since 1970, regulatory programs have reduced pollution and slowed the physical degradation of aquatic habitats. Thousands of river rehabilitations, reservoir enhancements, salt-marsh protection efforts and other conservation projects have been conducted across the country. Although significant gains have been made, they have not kept pace with impacts resulting from population growth and land-use changes. Finally, given the diverse array of federal, state, tribal, local and private jurisdictions, the need has never been greater for increased action and improved coordination of fisheries conservation actions across boundaries and jurisdictions.
Development of the NFHAP began in 2001 when an ad hoc group of fisheries interests, led by the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council and including ASA, explored the concept of developing a partnership for fish habitat similar to that undertaken for waterfowl and their habitat in the 1980s through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.
By 2004, after a series of meetings around the country, fisheries professionals and stakeholders were discussing a partnership-driven, non-regulatory, science-based, landscape-scale fish habitat conservation effort. Hundreds of individuals from the fisheries management community, conservation organizations and angling groups attended regional meetings and unanimously supported this action.
ASA, along with five other conservation organizations, began meetings with Congressional staff shortly thereafter, seeking sponsorship for the NFHAP legislation. ASA spearheaded the legislative drafting and took a lead in the strategy to have the legislation introduced and passed. ASA Vice President Gordon Robertson also holds a seat on the NFHAP board.
