Why It Matters: The recreational boating and fishing community understands the importance of protecting North Atlantic right whales (NARW) and fully supports finding innovative ways to avoid any vessel collision with marine mammals. However, a rule proposed in late 2022 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under final consideration by the White House…
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) recently joined with key industry and community stakeholders to unveil a roadmap for policies that benefit fisheries conservation and enhanced angler access that will serve as our community’s guide for the next slate of congressional and administrative leaders. THE FUTURE OF SPORTFISHING: Policy Recommendations from the Recreational Fishing Community is…
September 30, 2024 (Washington, D.C.) – On Saturday September 28, the nation honored America’s 55 million sportsmen and women for their immense contributions to funding conservation and our nation’s economy and the active role they play in conserving America’s natural resources. Since being established by Congress in 1971 and first celebrated a year later, National…
Why It Matters – As the 118th Congress enters the middle of the fourth quarter, there are still several bills in play that are important to sportsmen and women and natural resource conservation. The House Natural Resources Committee recently advanced two Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) priority bills, one that reauthorizes vital fish and wildlife conservation…
Why It Matters: Recreational anglers gather in marinas and public boat launches along the Atlantic Coast year-round to explore the open seas in pursuit of their preferred saltwater game species. In doing so, these recreational anglers generate hundreds of millions of dollars through the American System of Conservation Funding each year that is utilized to…
Why It Matters: A critical challenge that sportsmen and women face today is passing on the outdoor traditions that we cherish to new generations. Broadening the base of conservationists in our fields and on our waters is paramount to securing the legacy of the American outdoors, and free fishing days aim to do just that….
Why It Matters: While it may not be obvious or intuitive, for some species, the fish we release when saltwater fishing factors into how many days we can pursue that fish in the future. To ensure sustainable access to those fisheries, and because it is simply the right thing to do, we need to do…
Why It Matters: National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) was established in 1972 to celebrate and recognize hunters and anglers for their contributions to wildlife conservation. Hunting and fishing are time-honored traditions that help make up the very fabric of the Magnolia State, and Governor Tate Reeves recognized those traditions through signing a proclamation recognizing…
Why It Matters: The recreational boating and fishing community understands the importance of protecting North Atlantic right whales (NARW) and fully supports efforts to do so. However, a new rule under final consideration by the White House Office of Management and Budget implementing a 10-knot speed limit for all vessels 35 feet and longer will…
Why It Matters: Recreational anglers in North Carolina generate over $40 million in funding for conservation through the “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). Therefore, ensuring access for recreational angling is critical to maintaining sustainable fisheries. Recreational anglers are also a potentially strong resource for collecting biological…
Why It Matters: The pipeline of college graduates entering a field of natural resource management with a state or federal agency and who also come from an angling or hunting background has gone from a gush to a trickle in recent decades. Biologists and managers who grew up hunting and fishing tend to have a…
Why It Matters: July 12th marked the beginning, and the end, of the 2024 South Atlantic red snapper season. Unfortunately, we are stuck under a federal management paradigm in the South Atlantic that rewards a rapidly rebuilding red snapper population with fewer red snapper fishing opportunities, with the season totaling one day this year. Sound…