Why It Matters: From lunker lake trout to hefty smallmouth bass, the Great Lakes are a national treasure for America’s anglers. However, numerous water quality impairments and the persistent threat of invasive species require reoccurring investments to ensure that successful restoration efforts that begun in 2010 continue to enhance the lakes fisheries today and into…
Why It Matters: A proposed rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that would have done little for whale conservation while substantially impacting angler and boater access and coastal economies has been withdrawn by the agency. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), state legislative sportsmen’s caucuses, and our community partners have worked diligently for…
Why It Matters: While the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) finished the last Congress on a very strong note with the enacting into law of three priorities that passed Congress in December, there is still significant work that needs to be done for sportsmen and women. CSF hit the ground running on day one of the…
Why It Matters: The red snapper season in the South Atlantic lasted only 1 day in 2024, despite the highest abundance of red snapper anyone has ever seen in the region. While recent data indicates red snapper are no longer experiencing overfishing, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) was disappointed to learn that a proposed amendment…
Why It Matters: Science-based fisheries management and access to our fisheries have always been at the center of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) mission. In both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, sharks are increasingly intercepting fish being landed by recreational and commercial fishermen, creating frustration for anglers and challenges for fisheries sustainability….
Why It Matters: As the election year frenzy has settled down over the holiday season, legislative bodies are swearing in new members and choosing chairs and leaders of committees. Although voting numbers seem to be increasing, a historical trend of hunters not voting exists. Some sources prior to the 2024 election were reporting that there…
Why It Matters: With an estimated 7.5 million anglers who pursue Atlantic striped bass, it is the most economically and culturally important recreational fish species from North Carolina to Maine. It is vitally important to communities along the mid and upper Atlantic Seaboard that striped bass are sustainably managed for abundance and access by the…
Why It Matters – As the 118th Congress enters the final sprint to the finish line, opportunities to pass legislation become increasingly challenging with each passing day. However, last week the House passed two important bills for sportsmen and women, natural resource conservation, and coastal fishing communities. The America Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act (S. 3791)…
Why It Matters: As Wyoming State Legislative Committees begin their transition from interim meetings to the 2025 session, new bills are being filed. These early bills can provide insight into the legislative focus for the coming session. Several of the bills filed recently by the joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee included recommended…
Why It Matters: Veteran’s Day celebrates and acknowledges our active duty, retired, and separated Veterans for their service to our great country. As an Active-Duty Veteran, the outdoors does play an important role in my life, and the lives of many of my fellow Veterans. One way our state legislatures and agencies show their appreciation…
Why It Matters: Despite the highest abundance of red snapper anyone has ever seen in the South Atlantic, the most recent stock assessments still consider the popular recreational and commercial fish “overfished and undergoing overfishing”. Because the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) has not taken drastic action to end overfishing as defined…
Why It Matters: On Tuesday, October 22nd, the Pennsylvania State Senate voted 47-3 to send House Bill 1409 (HB 1409) to Governor Josh Shapiro’s desk. HB 1409 (sponsored by Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Member and Chair of the House Fish & Game Committee, Rep. Anita Astorino Kulik) extends the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission’s (PFBC) Board…