American Sportfishing Association Releases

 

For Release:  June 30, 2003                Janet Tennyson x227 or Gordon Robertson x237

SPORT FISH RESTORATION ACT REAUTHORIZATION BEGINS

        Key provisions of the Sport Fish Restoration Act, providing America’s most significant source of funding for fisheries conservation, sportfishing access, and angling and boating education, passed a U.S. Senate Committee on June 26, beginning the reauthorization process and paving the way for half-a-billion dollars in investments each year over the next 6 years. 

        Senators John Breaux, John McCain, and Fritz Hollings led the charge for the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee’s endorsement of legislative language developed by the American League of Anglers and Boaters, a coalition of 32 organizations chaired by American Sportfishing Association President and CEO Mike Nussman.  The Aquatic Resources Trust Fund portion of the law was attached to a bill reauthorizing the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century.  Other parts of the Sport Fish Restoration Act needing reauthorization will be addressed by two other Senate Committees later in this session of Congress.

        “The American League of Anglers and Boaters comes together every time the Sport Fish Restoration Act is up for reauthorization to make sure the interests of millions of anglers and boaters and the sportfishing industry are well represented,” explained Nussman. “We’ve been working together for almost 2 years to get to this point because there’s nothing more important to the future of fishing and boating.  Once again, Senator Breaux came through on his commitment to the nation’s anglers and boaters, here on the eve of the 4th of July holiday when so many families will be enjoying time out on the water together.” 

        Sportfishing manufacturers set aside a percentage of the value of their product sales and provide this amount to the U.S. Treasury for the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, part of the Sport Fish Restoration Act.  The tax is passed on to anglers when they purchase their fishing gear.  In addition, boaters pay an excise tax on certain motor boat fuels.  Ultimately, more than $400 million each year is collected and eventually funneled to state fish and wildlife agencies for fisheries conservation, fishing and boating access facilities, and angler and boater education and safety courses.  

        Since 1950 when the Sport Fish Restoration Act was first enacted, more than $4 billion has been collected and invested in fish and habitat restoration and the advancement of fishing and boating.  Over the lifetime of this law, special provisions were created for grant programs for coastal wetlands conservation, boating facilities, and boating safety.  During the 1998 reauthorization, the American Sportfishing Association pushed for $36 million in investments over 5 years to launch a national advertising and marketing campaign to promote fishing and boating.  The legislative package that passed last week would extend these investments by providing $10 million per year over the next 6 years for the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation to continue the Water Works Wonders campaign.

The American Sportfishing Association is the recreational fishing trade association, uniting 500 members of the sportfishing and boating industries, state fish and wildlife agencies, federal land and water management agencies, conservation organizations, angler advocacy groups, and outdoor journalists.  The American Sportfishing Association initiates and supports efforts to advance fisheries conservation, fishing opportunities, and a profitable sportfishing industry.

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Janet Tennyson, Director of Communications
American Sportfishing Association
225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 420
Alexandria, VA  22314
ph:  (703) 519-9691 x227;  fax:  (703) 519-1872
jtennyson@asafishing.org

 

For Release:  May 21, 2003                                Janet Tennyson x227 or Forbes Darby x222

REPORT SHOWS HOPE ON THE HORIZON FOR SALTWATER FISHERIES & ANGLING

More than 70 ocean fisheries are marking a strong comeback, according to an annual scorecard by a U.S. Commerce Department agency on the status of nearly 1,000 fisheries primarily taken as commercial harvest. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Status of U.S. Fisheries Report to Congress for 2002 shows that sound conservation and management can turn the tide on overfishing and ultimately its impact on one of America’s fastest growing outdoor pastimes, recreational fishing in saltwater. 

“We’ve only had strong marine fisheries policies in place for less than a decade,” said Mike Nussman, President and CEO of the American Sportfishing Association, “but we’re starting to see the potential of well implemented management programs, which bodes well for the saltwater fishing experience and the overall health of our oceans.”

Although some fish stocks remain in “overfished” status, the overall trend in recovery for many fisheries continues to be positive.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that 70 overfished species show significant progress under special management plans designed to rebuild their populations to healthy levels.  Over the last 5 years, 20 species have been removed from the overfished list and are steadily improving, and the trend toward overfishing has been reversed for 25 species.  The full report is available on www.nmfs.noaa.gov. 

Since 1997, popular sportfish that are also commercially harvested, such as redfish, king mackerel, bluefish, and summer flounder, are showing good signs of recovery.  The status of others, such as Gulf of Mexico gag grouper, remain a concern to the sportfishing community due to their unsteady recovery. 

The American Sportfishing Association is working with a coalition of industry, conservation, and angler advocacy groups to push for stronger representation for recreational fishing interests within the Commerce Department and on regional councils and interstate commissions that oversee cooperative marine fisheries management.  The coalition advocates for more consideration for the social and economic values of recreational fishing when management priorities are made.

The landmark Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996 marked a milestone for ocean fisheries management and called for regional fishery management councils to halt overfishing.  The eight regional councils and three interstate fishery commissions, including representatives from states, tribes, recreational and commercial fishing interests, and academia, develop species-specific management plans, with 70 plans now in place. 

The American Sportfishing Association is the leading recreational fishing trade association, uniting more than 500 members of the sportfishing and boating industries, state fish and wildlife agencies, federal land and water management agencies, conservation organizations, angler advocacy groups, and outdoor journalists.  The American Sportfishing Association initiates and supports efforts to advance fisheries conservation, fishing opportunities, and a profitable sportfishing industry.

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Janet Tennyson, Director of Communications
American Sportfishing Association
225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 420
Alexandria, VA  22314
ph:  (703) 519-9691 x227;  fax:  (703) 519-1872
jtennyson@asafishing.org

 

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