Why It Matters: Being a large coastal state, North Carolina offers a broad sampling of hunting, angling, trapping, and shooting sports activities. However, with broad opportunities comes broad responsibilities. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has been hard at work in North Carolina this year engaging on a wide variety of sporting conservation issues sure to…
Why It Matters: Rodman Reservoir, constructed in 1968, is a 9,500-acre reservoir in Northeast Florida and is one of the foremost premiere largemouth bass fisheries in the world. For decades, there have been unfounded efforts by environmentalists to destroy Rodman Reservoir in favor of “restoring” the Ocklawaha River with no clearly defined goals or objectives,…
Why It Matters: The sounds and estuaries along the coast of North Carolina are among some of the most diverse and productive marine environments in North America. They provide valuable nursery habitat for many species commonly pursued by both recreational anglers and commercial fishermen. Aligning North Carolina with other Southeastern states in conserving these valuable…
Why it Matters: Many states across the country offer a free fishing day or a free fishing weekend in an effort to give new anglers the opportunity to go outdoors and participate in our time-honored traditions without having to pay the cost of the fishing license. The “try before you buy” approach to free fishing…
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 (also known as the Wallop-Breaux Amendment), the program got a significant boost in the form of excise taxes on marine fuels and small engines….
Why It Matters: There was no shortage of legislation impacting hunters and anglers in the Magnolia State during the 2025 legislative session. Everything from protecting conservation funding from free and discounted hunting and fishing licenses, creating a new wild turkey stamp, ensuring that poachers pay restitution back to the state for illegally taking wild game held…
Why It Matters: The red snapper season in the South Atlantic lasted only 24 hours in 2024. A proposed Secretarial Amendment to the Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan would have provided a few more days in 2025, but it came with an unacceptable tradeoff of a large area closure to all bottom fishing for three months….
Why It Matters: Southern flounder are among the most popular targeted species of saltwater fish in North Carolina and along most of the South Atlantic. Striking a balance between recreational and commercial anglers is critical to conserving this commonly targeted species and ensuring access for North Carolina’s recreational anglers. Highlights: The North Carolina Southern Flounder…
Why It Matters: The MAPOceans Act introduced last week in the House will require the federal agency with the most U.S. waters under their jurisdiction, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to digitize and map public information about federal fishing and boating restrictions in marine waters and make timely, updated information readily available to…
Why It Matters: The American System of Conservation funding is a highly successful model unique to the rest of the world. The Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration component of the Model provides more than $1.3 billion in funding for fish and wildlife conservation each year through excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, fishing tackle, and…
Why It Matters: West Virginia is home to some of the most stunning cold-water fisheries that are inhabited by many fish, including the state fish: the native brook trout. It is no secret that anglers and boaters are the primary funders of state level fisheries management (Sport Fish Restoration Act) and that is why Senate…
Why It Matters: Though relatively few people are familiar with the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, 2025 marks the 75th Anniversary of this important program and the greatest fish and aquatic resource conservation story ever told. Without it, there would be far fewer places to launch a boat, piers to fish from, or…