keep America Fishing alert

[T-Acres]

   
Tell the White House to Safeguard Recreational Fishing
Help Ensure That the New National Policy for the Ocean, Coasts and Great Lakes
Includes and Promotes Recreational Fishing
 
Your input is needed to ensure that this new national policy does not unnecessarily  restrict people from enjoying saltwater and freshwater recreational fishing
 
Within the next 30 - 60 days, the Obama Administration is planning to issue a final report, and possibly other management guidance, intended to govern the management of the nation's oceans, coastal areas and Great Lakes. The plan originated in June 2009, when President Obama created the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force. The Task Force, led by the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), was charged with developing a national policy for conserving and managing the United States ocean territory and the Great Lakes. The policy will govern ocean and Great Lakes resource management and coordinate efforts among the many federal, state and local agencies that oversee a significant portion of our nation's waters.
 
The White House is in the final stages of developing the final report, which must balance sustainable uses with ocean and Great Lakes conservation. It is important that the administration recognizes and promotes the economic and conservation contributions of outdoor recreation, including recreational fishing and boating. Without such recognition, decisions made under this national oceans and Great Lakes policy could be used to unnecessarily close saltwater and freshwater recreational fishing areas.
 
Anglers and boaters are the original stewards of our environment. If you take us off the water, this country will lose a vital element in the conservation of our fisheries resources. Outdoor recreation is a part of our way of life and we need to ensure that it remains an option for all Americas.
 
Click here http://www.capwiz.com/keepamericafishing/issues/alert/?alertid=14653146 or  visit www.keepamericafishing.org to send a letter to President Obama and other key policy makers urging the Task Force to include recreational fishing and boating in the national policy. When you send this letter to President Obama, it will automatically be sent to your Members of Congress.
 
Make sure your voice is heard so that anglers' and boaters' conservation, economic and social contributions are recognized as a key component of the policy.

[T-Acres]

There is a lot of jibber jabber on the web about the President's secret plan to ban sport fishing--this is the actual subject which has spawned all of that. 

[kbjuan]

Thanks Todd,letter is off and away.

[Papa Loco]

Sounds like another multi-billion dollar agency which we can"t afford. I can hear it now "If you can afford to own a boat, you can afford a $30 ocean stamp.'

[JanZ]

Done

[flatwater]

Done

[dwoo]

Letter away

[Seafari]

Done

[grambo]

Finished

[humboldtdan]

Note from NOAA assistant Administrator for fisheries Eric Schwab:

“The Ocean Policy Task Force has not recommended a ban on recreational fishing.  The draft
reports by the Ocean Policy Task Force do not contain a zoning map and do not establish any
restrictions on recreational fishing, nor make any judgments about whether one ocean activity or
use is better than another. Instead, the reports set up a policy and framework for effectively
managing the many sustainable uses of the ocean while upholding our responsibility to be
stewards of our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes.   

As a member of the task force, NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco, has said, and I echo
her on this, that saltwater recreational fishing is vital to this nation and NOAA is committed to
building a strong partnership with America’s saltwater anglers to ensure that Americans have
opportunities to fish sustainably for generations to come.  Saltwater recreational fishing matters to
me on a personal level as a recreational fisherman, it matters to millions of Americans who enjoy
this great sport and it matters to our economy.  Our most recent economic report shows it supports a half million jobs and generates $82 billion in sales each year.

NOAA is committed to adopting policies that will ensure that current and future generations have the opportunity to enjoy the great tradition of recreational fishing.”

[humboldtdan]

One more just to make sure this issue is put to bed.  Unfortunately, honest reporting in journalism has been hijacked by the pundits who portray opinion as fact.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/where-fish/2010/03/chad-love-fishing-ban-rumors-debunked