Why It Matters: The Public Trust Doctrine establishes that wildlife resources are owned by the public and are to be managed by government agencies for the benefit of the public. This key principle is a core tenant of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation which is widely renowned as the most successful model of […]
Wake County, NC – A landmark North Carolina court ruling has provided one of the most significant validations to date of the power that constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish protections can provide for America’s sportsmen and women. On August 17, the Wake County Superior Court ruled in favor of the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina (CCA NC) and […]
Why It Matters: The South Atlantic’s recreational red snapper fishery has long been hampered by uncertainty surrounding estimates of recreational catch, effort, and discards. Three new Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) applications from Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina offer an opportunity to address that challenge by pairing additional fishing opportunity in the month of October with enhanced, state-based data collection. If […]
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 […]