July 2010 American Sportfishing Association Policy Watch
Policy Watch is a monthly update for the sportfishing community about the American Sportfishing Association’s (ASA) Government Affairs activities.
For more information on ASA Government Affairs activities, contact Gordon Robertson, vice president and Government Affairs lead, 703.519.9691, x237, Mike Leonard, Director of Ocean Resource Policy, x230, or Alyssa Hausman, Policy Fellow, x 244.
ASA Welcomes New Policy Fellow
Keep America Announced at ICAST 2010
Senator Bill Nelson Introduces Fishery Conservation Transition Act
White House Releases Final Report on National Ocean Policy
Update on Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
California Marine Life Protection Act Planning Update
Comprehensive Angler Access Study Has Surprising Results
Oregon Marine Reserves Update
Support the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act
ICAST Seminars Provide Valuable Information
ASA Welcomes New Policy Fellow
Alyssa Hausman has joined the ASA Government Affairs team as the new ASA Policy Fellow for the next two years. Alyssa recently completed her B.A. in Marine and Freshwater Sciences at Colgate University. As Policy Fellow, she will work closely with ASA’s Government Affairs staff on advocacy issues. Alyssa’s contact information is ahausman@asafishing.org , x244.Please welcome her to the ASA staff.
Keep America Fishing Announced at ICAST 2010
During ICAST 2010 ASA re-launched KeepAmericaFishing ™ to unite the sportfishing industry and the country’s 60 million anglers with one united voice to keep our nation’s public waters open, clean and abundant with fish. The announcement was made during the sportfishing industry’s 53rd International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST), held July 14-16, 2010, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. Through policy, science and conservation, KeepAmericaFishing works to minimize access restrictions, promote clean waters and restore fish populations. At www.KeepAmericaFishing.org ™ anglers, retailers, manufacturers and other recreational fishing-dependent businesses will find the latest news regarding fishery closures and other important resource and advocacy information. ASA is planning a redesign of KeepAmericaFishing.org which will launch this fall. ASA is working with its members and conservation partners on projects that will help brand KeepAmericaFishing as the “voice of the American angler.”
Senator Bill Nelson Introduces Fishery Conservation Transition Act
On July 15, 2010, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced legislation designed to safeguard the strong conservation standards of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) while addressing a growing crisis within the federal marine fisheries management system. S.3594, the Fishery Conservation Transition Act (FCTA), will give federal marine fisheries managers the time, resources and more specific direction necessary to address the chronic deficiencies in data collection and science. Nowhere are these deficiencies more acute than in the South Atlantic where the lack of proper data exacerbated problems in the red snapper fishery and may ultimately result in a closure of all bottom fishing in a 5,000-square-mile area. Please visit www.KeepAmericaFishing.org ™ to send a letter to your Senators urging them to support S. 3594.
White House Releases Final Report on National Ocean Policy
On July 19, 2010, the White House's Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force released its final report on a new national policy with the stated goals of ensuring protection, maintenance and restoration of the nation’s oceans, coastal areas and the Great Lakes. Following the release of the new policy, President Obama issued an Executive Order to implement the policies in the report. Over the past year, ASA and others in the recreational fishing and boating community provided substantial input to the Task Force, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and advocated that the social, economic, public health and conservation benefits of sustainable use of our nation’s public resources receive priority consideration in the new coastal and ocean management policy. The final report has a general theme that promoting recreational fishing and stewardship is an important national ocean policy objective.However, the top-down tone of the policy is clear while significant concepts that could set the foundation for vast areas closed to angling and public recreation remain vague and undefined. ASA will continue its involvement as the policy moves into the design and implementation process.
Update on Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
Only July 15, BP announced that for the first time since April, oil was no longer leaking from the Deepwater Horizon oil wellhead. ASA continues to work with Congress and the Administration to ensure that economic relief efforts in response to the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster include recreational fishing-dependent businesses and are as efficient and effective as possible. ASA also continues to stress that while the oil spill is causing significant harm to much of the Gulf, it is important to note that approximately 66 percent of Gulf waters are still open to recreational fishing, including most state waters in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, and all of Texas. For up-to-date information on the Gulf of Mexico oil leak, please go to www.KeepAmericaFishing.org™. ASA updates this site regularly with information about the oil disaster response and on filing claims for damages resulting from the oil spill.
California Marine Life Protection Act Planning Update
On July 23, the California Department of Fish and Game held a scoping meeting for the South Coast phase of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). At the meeting, representatives from the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO) offered comments on important environmental impacts that should be considered in Draft Environmental Impact Report for the MLPA South Coast Study Region. Given the complexity, magnitude and scope of the MLPA process in the South Coast, a single meeting is not sufficient for the region. Anglers are encouraged to visit http://capwiz.com/keepamericafishing/issues/alert/?alertid=15177801 and send a letter to the FGC urging them to hold more than one scoping meeting in the South Coast. Scoping meetings provide the public, stakeholder organizations, governmental agencies and other interested parties the chance to weigh in on issues related to the potential environmental effects of marine protected area proposals. The meeting(s) will take place prior to publication of proposed regulations the proposals in the South Coast Phase of the MLPA process.
Comprehensive Angler Access Study Has Surprising Results
Results of a recent comprehensive angler access study by the ASA and Responsive Management – 2010 Angler Access in the U.S. Report - reveal some surprising views by anglers, private landowners and professional fish and wildlife managers who make decisions regarding angler access. Interviews were completed with more than 4,000 landowners and more than 4,100 recreational anglers. This is the first study of its kind to include landowners that have water on, adjacent to or running through their property to document their assessment of angler access. The most important finding is that two-thirds of anglers access most of their fishing from public lands, revealing the importance of public lands to anglers as a means to access places to fish.
Oregon Marine Reserves Update
ASA and its Oregon representative continue to work with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials, state legislators and angler groups to provide input into Oregon’s process for establishing marine reserves. In July, ASA traveled to Oregon and met with recreational fishing representatives from each of the three marine reserve study community groups to continue discussions on the recreational fishing community’s input into the process. In addition, meetings were held with key Oregon legislators. Final recommendations on Oregon reserves are to be made in November of this year.
Support the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act
ASA continues to work with other members of the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act (NFHCA) legislative team to advocate with Members of Congress for their support of the legislation and to seek additional sponsorship. The NFHCA provides funding for crucial fisheries conservation and habitat restoration across the United States. To ensure this bill is passed, please send a letter to your members of Congress today urging them to support the NFHCA. Additional co-sponsors are needed for this bill to succeed. The foundation for the NFHCA is the National Fish Habitat Action Plan.
ICAST Seminars Provide Valuable Information
Several seminars were presented at ICAST to benefit ASA’s members. ASA and First Degree presented two seminars to help provide retailers and manufacturers with the tools, tips and resources to help educate customers about the growing restrictions on angler access and how to help with the Keep America Fishing™ campaign. Marc Gorelnik, representing Townsend and Townsend and Crew, a law firm based in San Francisco, Calif., presented a seminar on how to avoid, as best possible, the challenges of product duplication and infringements on patents and copyrights. Tammy Sapp of Tammy Sapp Communications discussed social media and ways ASA members can use these online platforms and other methods to build awareness and ultimately increase sales. ASA Vice President Gordon Robertson provided information on the top legislative challenges facing the sportfishing industry.
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