Recently, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) Federal Relations Manager, Taylor Schmitz, received an appointment to represent the recreational fishing community on the Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council as an alternate member.
One of the newest additions to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuary System, Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary protects the remnants of more than 100 World War I-era wooden steamships – known as the “Ghost Fleet” – and other maritime resources and cultural heritage dating back nearly 12,000 years.
In this role, CSF will represent the recreational fishing community to provide advice and recommendations to NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries to ensure that recreational fishing remains an allowable and popular activity in the Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary. The Advisory Council is a broad coalition consisting of 15 full-time members and 15 alternates. Schmitz will be one of two individuals representing the recreational fishing community on the Advisory Council.
The Advisory Council is expected to convene its first meeting in December 2020.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
