Your weekly look at how ASA’s government affairs team is hard at work supporting sound fisheries policies throughout the country.
Proposed Florida Constitutional Amendment One Step Closer To Enshrinement
Last week, the Florida House of Representatives and Senate approved a joint resolution to place a state constitutional amendment on the November 2024 ballot that ensures the Right to Hunt and Fish. ASA’s Martha Guyas spoke out in support of this measure, which will be decided by Florida voters next year! Learn more.
ASA Thanks Senators Heinrich and Cramer for Introducing the LAKES Act
ASA recently cosigned a letter thanking U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) for introducing the Lake Access Keeping Economies Strong (LAKES) Act. This bipartisan legislation modernizes the recreation fee system for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, allowing these resources to be used for maintaining and upkeeping public access and infrastructure projects necessary for outdoor recreation. Learn more.
ASA Calls for Stronger Conservation of Pacific Striped Marlin
ASA Pacific Fisheries Policy Director Larry Phillips co-signed a letter to NOAA Fisheries calling for the implementation of new conservation and management measures for Pacific Striped Marlin. The letter called for multiple new management approaches, including an expansion of using circle hooks, the establishment of a minimum size limit and protecting nursing and spawning grounds. Learn more.
Separating Facts from Fiction
Last year, NOAA Fisheries proposed new small vessel speed restriction zones stretching almost all of the Atlantic coast in an effort to protect the North Atlantic right whales. While ASA supports protecting whales, we are concerned that this rule is not based on the best available science or sufficient input from anglers and boaters. We are working with other partners to separate the facts from the fiction surrounding small fishing vessels and whale deaths. Learn more.
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.
