News Category: Fisheries

Why It Matters: With Congress entering the final months of the 119th Congress, the legislative calendar is rapidly shrinking. While many bills will compete for limited floor time, several bipartisan fisheries priorities supported by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) remain well positioned for action before lawmakers adjourn. Whether improving angler access, addressing shark depredation, or advancing marine habitat conservation, […]

Why It Matters: Shark depredation has become a significant and growing challenge for recreational saltwater anglers and commercial fishermen, affecting fishing success, increasing fish mortality, and creating frustration on the water. While Congress is on the verge of approving landmark legislation to coordinate research and management recommendations, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries recently announced the formation of […]

(July 24, 2026) – Salem, OR – The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) today celebrated the failure of Oregon’s Initiative Petition 28 (IP 28), the so-called “People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions (PEACE) Act,” after the Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division announced the measure failed to gather enough valid signatures to qualify for the November 3, […]

Why It Matters: Healthy aquatic habitats are the foundation of abundant, sustainable fisheries and ample fishing opportunities for America’s anglers. For two decades, the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) has united federal and state agencies, fishing conservation organizations, industry, local communities, and private landowners behind a common goal: restoring, protecting, and enhancing the waters that support fish and […]

Why It Matters: The longevity of our time-honored outdoor traditions, and the critical American System of Conservation Funding that these traditions support, depend upon consistent participation by sportsmen and women. Recruitment efforts surrounding popular hunting and angling opportunities are effective but can carry a high cost of entry for beginning sportsmen and women. However, simple outdoor pursuits, such as small game hunting and bream […]

Why It Matters: For over a decade, South Atlantic red snapper anglers have been trapped in a management system that routinely relies on federal recreational catch data that consistently misses even the National Marine Fisheries Service’s mark for useable data. This year, a state-led effort to collect more accurate and timely catch information through exempted fishing permits (EFPs) offered a […]

Why It Matters: Although sportsmen and women are the backbone of conservation funding through their license and sporting gear purchases, states offer brief, limited opportunities to fish without purchasing a license in an effort to grow the base of anglers.  Highlights:  With summer officially upon us, almost all of the statehouses in the Great Lakes region have emptied their chambers of legislators while nearby […]

Why It Matters: The 2026 legislative session has recently adjourned in Louisiana, and lawmakers took action on one of the most important fisheries management issues facing the state: commercial menhaden harvest. Following years of concern from recreational anglers, coastal communities, and conservation advocates, several bills were introduced and signed into law to improve transparency, accountability, and management of […]

Why It Matters: Last month New Hampshire Fish and Game (NHFG) conducted a series of listening and comment sessions concerning long overdue license fee increases. The “user pays – public benefits” structure known as the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF) provides critical annual funding for the NHFG to manage fish, wildlife, and other public trust […]

Why It Matters: Expanding commercial fishing efforts that use indiscriminate gear such as gill nets stands to repeat the harm done by commercial overharvest in the Great Lakes during the twentieth century, damaging Michigan’s fisheries resources, its recreational fishing opportunities, and its outdoor economy.  Highlights:   If passed, Michigan House Bills 5801 and 5802 would expand commercial […]

Why It Matters: National Fishing and Boating Week (NFBW) celebrates the important role that fishing and boating play in America’s outdoor heritage, while also highlighting how participation in these activities directly supports fisheries conservation and public access through the American System of Conservation Funding. Free fishing days held during the week provide a unique opportunity for new anglers and families to experience […]

Why It Matters: Since 1950, the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program has provided vital funding to state natural resources agencies for fisheries conservation and boating access. Amended in 1984 (known as the Wallop-Breaux Amendment), the Program got a significant boost in the form of excise taxes on marine and small engine fuels. Now called the Sport […]