At KeepAmericaFishing our goal is to give a voice to America’s millions of recreational anglers who share one thing in common – a passion for fishing.Funding to ensure we have healthy fish, clean waters and access to fishing is at stake and stands to get lost in the political fray. We need to make sure anglers have a unified voice to maintain and grow the very foundation on which fisheries conservation is based – that anglers are at the forefront of fisheries conservation, which provides for healthy fish and habitat.
Until the fishing community, is recognized as a large and powerful voting block advocating for our sport, our power for change is limited. As you’ll see in this month’s newsletter, there are several ways for you to make your voice heard and support the efforts to keep America fishing.
Here’s to Tight Lines! Gordon Robertson-KeepAmericaFishing
Remembering Angling Legend Jose Wejebe
KeepAmericaFishing extends its condolences to the family of fishing legend Jose Wejebe who died last Friday, April 6, in Florida. Jose “The Spanish Fly” Wejebe was an angler extraordinaire, TV host, conservation advocate and friend to the entire sportfishing community. Jose also served as a celebrity spokesperson for KeepAmericaFishing, sharing his commitment tomarine conservation and sustainable fishing with anglers nationwide. He was loved by millions of anglers the world over for his passion for fishing and his unique ability to share that passion whether through his popular TV show or personally through the many personal appearances he made at shows and events across the U.S. He will be greatly missed.
KeepAmericaFishing Tackle Box by Plano
Plano is helping us promote our mission to keep our nation’s public waters open, clean and abundant with fish.This specially designed KeepAmericaFishing Plano tackle box is available exclusively in Walmart stores for only $17.96!A portion of the proceeds from every tackle box sold will go to KeepAmericaFishing. With your purchase, you’ll receive a high-quality product at a bargain price while helping to ensure that recreational fishing is here to enjoy now and for generations to come.
ReserveFishing to Help Promote Healthy and Sustainable Fisheries
ReserveFishing.com, the world’s leading fishing reservation network, is donating up to $5.00 per guided fishing trip booked online to KeepAmericaFishing in support of our conservation efforts.
Our partnership with ReserveFishing highlights our joint commitment to fisheries conservation. This mutually beneficial partnership also provides ReserveFishing guides the opportunity to participate in the many conservation-related endeavors KeepAmericaFishing creates each year.
In addition to the up to $5.00 per guided fishing trip contribution to KeepAmericaFishing, ReserveFishing is donating gift certificates for free guided fishing adventures for KeepAmericaFishing to use at promotional events.
For more information or to book a guided fishing trip, visit the ReserveFishing website.
GoFISHn Launches New iPad App
The GoFISHn team just launched “The Year in Fishing” iPad app capturing all the best posts from GoFISHn.com in 2011.
This app is truly one of the best available. It includes hundreds of photos and videos, great profiles of top fishing guides and sections ranging from fish records to celebrities, conservation, danger and crime. It’s a celebration of fishing like you’ve never seen.
Senate Praised for Passing RESTORE the Gulf Coast Act
The U.S. Senate demonstrated its commitment to restoring the Gulf of Mexico’s economy and environment by approving the RESTORE the Gulf Coast Act as an amendment to the Senate transportation bill. This historic achievement was made possible in large part to the support of thousands of anglers like you. On behalf of KeepAmericaFishing – THANK YOU! Take action today to make sure that this historic legislation for sportsmen and women crosses the finish line.
National Ocean Policy Draws Criticism from Sportfishing Community in House Hearing
Responding to the Obama administration’s new national policy to manage the nation’s ocean territory and the Great Lakes, sportfishing industry leaders voiced concerns about the lack of consideration this policy has given to the recreational fishing community during a recent House of Representatives hearing.Since the onset of the National Ocean Policy planning process, the recreational fishing and boating community has provided substantial input to the administration advocating that the social, economic, public health and conservation benefits of sustainable recreational use of our nation’s public resources receive priority consideration in the new coastal and ocean management policy.
We need to ensure that our public resources remain open for everyone to enjoy consistent with conservation goals. KeepAmericaFishing will continue to fight for angler access to our public waters and keep you informed on how you can help.
Policy
Efforts to Ban Lead in Fishing Tackle
Over the past decade, efforts to eliminate the sale and use of lead fishing tackle, including sinkers, jigs and more have increased. Sweeping regulation of lead fishing tackle would have a significant negative impact on recreational anglers and fisheries resources, but a negligible impact on conserving waterfowl populations, the main reason cited by supporters of such bans.
In response to the increasing attempts to over regulate fishing tackle, the Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Sports Protection Act was introduced in Congress. This legislation will ensure that any future regulations on fishing tackle are established based on scientific data, not unjustified petitions. Please ask your Members of Congress to support this important legislation, which will prevent a federal ban on lead fishing tackle.
Anglers Vs. Developers – Access to Virginia’s Public Waters is in JeopardyA Virginia landowner is currently suing two anglers for trespassing on a portion of the Jackson River based on crown and commonwealth land grants ceded almost 300 years ago. These grants predate Virginia law stating that all river and stream beds are public property. Despite having both public law and the official position of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries on the anglers’ side, the Attorney General’s Office has refused to step into this case to defend the interests of the Commonwealth, its trust resources and its people. These two anglers are now defending the rights of all of Virginia’s anglers, boaters and outdoor enthusiasts in court. This is a precedent setting case in Virginia and could have disastrous ramifications for river and stream fishing across the Commonwealth.
Send a message to Virginia’s Attorney General, requesting that the state defend the public’s right to access public waters.
Help End Commercial Overfishing of the Iconic Billfish
Marlin, sailfish and spearfish, collectively called billfish, are highly valued by recreational anglers who practice catch-and-release fishing for these iconic fish. Unfortunately, as a result of commercial overfishing, primarily by foreign countries, stocks of these magnificent big ocean fish are greatly depleted in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Billfish Conservation Act of 2011 (S. 1451) and (H.R. 2706) will close U.S. commercial markets to Pacific billfish, preventing their harvest and importation, helping to restore billfish populations and improve recreational fishing opportunities. To learn more and to support this important bill, please visit the KeepAmericaFishing website.
Keep Biscayne Bay Open
Adjacent to Miami, Biscayne National Park is the largest marine park in the National Park system and one of the largest urban recreational fishing areas. Officials at Biscayne National Park are proposing to unnecessarily close over 10,000 acres of south Florida’s most popular and productive reefs to all sportfishing. Ask your Members of Congress to stop this unwarranted and excessive restriction and keep our nation’s public waters open at Biscayne National Park.
