July/August
2010 edition
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Your
State Legislature:
What
can the
"average citizen"
do???
Every year,
just before the legislative session begins, each county’s
“legislative delegation” holds public hearings to listen to
citizens. It’s during these meetings that you can speak on
any subject and have all the folks that represent your
county in the same room.
FAA urges each
of you to plan to attend a meeting in your location and
tell your elected officials that you feel the
anti-discrimination law should be changed to prevent
counties from discriminating against airboats; that you
believe all boats should be treated in the same manner and
that you believe counties should not place a curfew on
lakes or other water bodies at any time – especially during
gator season.
The more often your elected official hears from a voter,
like yourself, telling him/her the good things about
airboating and asking for their help in fighting the
discrimination we are facing, the easier it will be to pass
legislation this next session.
Thank you in advance for your help in making our democracy
work!
To see a list of DELEGATION MEETINGS IN YOUR AREA
click here
To read more
about the 2010 Legislative session, click here
A little frivolous fun... CLICK HERE to see an illusion where a black & white image appears to be in full color!
Fishing OUTLAWED??!!
It could happen!
March 2010 American Sportfishing Association Member Update
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
Wow, I'm still shaking my head over the recent media firestorm about banning recreational fishing in the United States. What started out as one veteran outdoor writer's assessment of the Obama administration's intentions to expand federal oversight of the nations' oceans, coastal areas and the Great Lakes quickly ignited a national hue and cry about taking the rods and reels away from our nation's anglers. I've lost count of the phone calls I've received from friends and foes alike looking for an explanation. Why did people react this way? Clearly we have information void when it comes to what's going on with fisheries management in this county, but I believe it goes much further than that. The administration and Members of Congress felt the heat of the fishing ban firestorm and we're getting some long overdue attention as a result. What we need to do is take advantage of this attention and focus on what we should do and say while the spotlight is on our industry.
Although the White House and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), which oversees commercial and recreational saltwater fishing, were quick to denounce plans to ban recreational fishing, I'm not convinced that they understand either the industry or what recreational fishing means to this nation's 60 million anglers. The sportfishing industry, and anglers themselves, have always had a real desire to be active in designing our conservation approaches, and we're more than willing to take some responsibility in the interest of making progress. Despite the billions of dollars we've funneled into this nation's fisheries conservation efforts over the past 60 years, there are too many examples where recreational fishing is clearly considered part of the fisheries problems and, as a result, we're being marginalized in the management decision making process. I believe a little paranoia is probably well justified.
This is certainly the case in California where, in 2006, policy makers came to our Board of Directors and asked us to become involved in the state's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) planning and implementation process. Despite our good faith efforts, in hindsight it's clear that MLPA resource policy makers have never viewed the recreational fishing and boating communities as full partners in this process. Instead, we've been mislead throughout the effort. California is doing its very best to restrict the state's millions of saltwater anglers from enjoying their sport in its shortsighted and fiscally irresponsible quest to establish far reaching, no-take zones in the state's coastal waters.
In 2006, the same year California came to us with their assurances of partnership and cooperation, the Bush administration came to the sportfishing industry with requests for support for a new marine sanctuary in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. We said that we would be supportive of an open and fair process, but before the process could conclude, with the stroke of his pen, former President George W. Bush used a century-old law - the Antiquities Act - to establish the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument, thus banning recreational fishing forever. What you might not know is that although recreational fishing ceased, commercial fishing in the sanctuary still continues today.
Just this past January, NOAA imposed a six-month ban on recreational and commercial fishing for red snapper in federal waters off North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and the Atlantic coast of Florida. NOAA is also considering closing 5,791 square miles in the South Atlantic to all bottom fishing based on the first red snapper stock assessment in a decade. Further, these decisions are being made despite a significant lack of reliable economic data. By its own admission, NOAA does not know what effectthis decision will have on tackle shops in the region.
In addition, Dr. Jane Lubchenco, head of NOAA and one of the administration's key advisors for federal marine fisheries issues, once proposed putting 20 percent of the ocean into no-fishing zones, 40 times the current percentage. To her credit, Dr. Lubchenco came to our Sportfishing Summit last October and made strong commitments to our community. Unfortunately, folks in our community seem to be more focused on actions than on words.
Lest you think that this push for restricting recreational fishing is unique to the United States, Australia's anglers and conservation groups are encountering the U.S.-based Pew Charitable Trust and its push for Australia's Coral Sea to become the world's largest no-fishing zone. Doug Olander, in his blog for Sport Fishing magazine, recognizes this slick global campaign pointing out that Pew puts recreational fishing on equal footing with "industrial" fishing.
And I've just touched the tip of the proverbial iceberg. So why recreational fishing? Why did it take a media firestorm to get the administration's attention on whether we should be blamed for the nation's fisheries problems? Maybe because we are taken for granted? Maybe because they don't fully appreciate the voluntary commitment, and investment, we've made in conservation? Maybe. But the response from our community can't be ignored. It's time for the administration to make its intentions clear and set our minds at ease by recognizing the significant social, economic, conservation and health impacts that recreational uses of our public resources have on this nation. We manage our public lands, such as wildlife refuges and parks, to both conserve our natural resources and for the public's enjoyment. We should do the same thing for our oceans and Great Lakes.
The recreational fishing and boating community urges the administration to give priority consideration to recreational activities such as fishing and boating in its new ocean, coastal and Great Lakes management policy. We ask the administration to ensure that individuals and families have every opportunity to experience our nation's vast marine resources. There is nothing like time on the water to help build a greater understanding, appreciation and support for our marine environment and responsible conservation management.