Numerous industry priorities reflected in final measure
The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) expressed its strong support for the passage of the 2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act which provides funding for the remainder of fiscal year 2019 for nine federal agencies, including the Departments of Commerce and the Interior.
“We are pleased that President Trump and Congressional leaders were able to come to an agreement that avoids another shutdown and ensures that federal programs critical to the recreational fishing industry continue to be funded,” said Mike Leonard, ASA’s vice president of Government Affairs. “This measure contains a wide range of funding improvements related to fisheries management, conservation and public access.”
For more information on ASA’s appropriations priorities, nearly all of which were enacted in the final bill, see ASA’s press release from June 15, 2018.
“The recreational fishing community fared extremely well in this spending bill,” continued Leonard. “From tackling Asian carp and other invasive species, to enhanced marine fisheries science and data collection, to Sen. Richard Shelby’s (R-Ala.) tireless efforts to improve Gulf red snapper management, the health of our nation’s fisheries and the industry that depends on them will see significant boosts because of this bill.”
The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the sportfishing and boating industries as well as the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry and anglers a unified voice when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. ASA invests in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous, as well as safeguard and promote the enduring economic, conservation and social values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America’s 49 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways through Keep America Fishing, our national angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate nearly $50 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for 800,000 people.
