How the Shutdown is Hurting Recreational Boating and the Outdoor Economy

In a recent Op-Ed published by The Hill, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable’s Executive Director Jessica Wahl described the impact that the partial government shutdown is having on the outdoor recreation community.

The outdoor recreation community is unified in its message to Congress and the administration to end this shutdown immediately so federal workers, small businesses, rural communities and American families can get back to work and continue to enjoy public lands and waters.

As the shutdown goes through its fourth week, the negative impacts on land and water stewardship, visitor experiences, access and safety are already being felt by the outdoor recreation industry, which employs 4.6 million Americans. Rural and gateway communities across the country that rely on visits to America’s great outdoors are at risk of being hurt even more the longer the shutdown drags on.

Spending the holiday in and around parks, I saw firsthand the shutdown’s impact on my favorite outdoor places. This past weekend, I joined many others clearing fallen trees off power lines and historic buildings, cleaning up trash and clearing trails in Shenandoah National Park and along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It gave me a new appreciation for the federal agency staff and their role in keeping our public lands safe and accessible.

Unfortunately, the shutdown is also adding to the growing $18.6 billion maintenance backlog on our public lands. Last year’s popular Restore our Parks and Public Lands Act — aimed at tackling the maintenance backlog on our public lands— had bipartisan support from hundreds of members of Congress and the administration. Yet every day the shutdown continues, we are losing much-needed revenue usually collected from entrance, camping and other recreation fees.

If shutdowns continue to become more prevalent – as we have seen in the past decade – there must be common-sense policy changes that keep our public lands open, safe and inoculated from issues that have nothing to do with the great outdoors.

While we applaud the many demonstrations of innovative partnerships involving states, gateway communities, concessioners, other business and nonprofits to maintain access and provide partnership services during this difficult time. We worry that as the shutdown lingers these efforts will become unsustainable, impacting access and safety beyond our parks, refuges and waterways.

We can use this time to point fingers or to build bridges. What the past month has made crystal clear is that love for our public lands is widespread and unifying. We have seen an impressive outpouring of support from industry groups, businesses, nonprofits and individuals who have been doing what they can to clean restrooms, clear trails and more.

The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) wants to harness that energy into a pragmatic dialogue around safeguarding the outdoors from being impacted during future shutdowns. Sites should continue to collect entrance fees, and land and water agency personnel should be considered “essential,” so that these treasured places can stay open safely and responsibly.

The great outdoors should not be the victim of unrelated issues. We call for uniform policies across the agencies so federal workers, businesses and public lands and waters are not put in this position of uncertainty time and time again.

The outdoor recreation community stands ready to join all policymakers in discussing and adopting future policies that will enable all to fully enjoy our public lands and waters, unlocking these uniquely American experiences, boosting healthier lifestyles and delivering a stronger economy.
 
Jessica Wahl is Executive Director of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), America’s leading coalition of outdoor recreation trade associations and organizations working to promote the policy reforms needed to enhance the outdoor recreation economy. Combined, ORR members produce an annual $734 billion output for the U.S. economy, making up 2.2% of America’s GDP.

If you have questions, please contact MRAA Public Policy Manager, Will Higgins.

Busting a Few Myths

In my last blog, I wrote about the premise of Brad Staat’s book, Never Stop Learning. Because the knowledge we need to successfully run our businesses keeps changing, he argues, we need to keep learning. We now operate in a learning economy, not a knowledge economy.

If we need to be continuously learning, then it’s critical for us to know how we and our teams can best learn. As it turns out, much of what we think we know about education is wrong. Here are a few of the many myths about learning:

LEARNING IS AN EVENT. We often schedule education as if learning is an event – a conference, a workshop or a training day – with a beginning and end, something we can check off the list. The research suggests that’s not true. Learning is a four-step process that begins when you’re exposed to new information, like when a speaker gives an educational presentation or when you watch an online course. But don’t stop there. We need to consistently re-expose ourselves and the people we’re training to the new information after we first hear it. When we only take in the information once, chances are it will quickly fade out of our short-term memory before we store it as knowledge and before we have the opportunity to apply it. Our brain is like a video tape that quickly gets recorded over if we don’t proactively work to hold onto new information through repetition.

LEARNING DOESN’T DRIVE RESULTS. The most common reason for this myth is simply that what most people call learning is only the first step of the learning process: Being exposed to new information. If you skip the other three steps, you’ll never truly learn something new, apply it to your business or experience the results.

LEARNING BELONGS IN THE CLASSROOM (NOT THE DEALERSHIP). Research shows us that people typically forget 90 percent of the information they are exposed to in a class within 30 days. The majority of this forgetting occurs within the first few hours after class. That’s because learning is a four-step process, and the classroom is just step one. And of course, the classroom is not the only place you can turn for new information. There are digital publications, books, podcasts, workshops, online courses, conferences and more. The real work involved in learning – and the real rewards – come when you take the information you’ve been exposed to, hold it up against what you’ve experienced in the past (step two), consider how it might apply to your day-to-day responsibilities in the future (step three), and then experiment with it in the dealership (step four).

NO TALKING IN SCHOOL. The truth is the exact opposite. When we discuss what we’re learning with others, not only do we create repetition, which helps us hold onto that information in our memory, but we have the opportunity to reflect out loud on how it applies to what we already know and have experienced, and how we might apply it moving forward. Those are critical steps in the learning process. BONUS: When you as a leader in your dealership talk about what you’re learning and how you might use it to improve and grow, you inspire and encourage others to consider their own learning opportunities.

CRAM FOR THE TEST. Cramming works great if it’s only important that you remember something for a short period of time. But if you want to hold onto it for the long haul (and maybe even USE what you’re learning at work), space out your repetition. Schedule a once a week practice of a key new process or strategy. Research shows that such repetition is needed even years after you’ve supposedly learned something “for good.” Even your most experienced team members can gain huge benefit from refresher classes.

TAKE YOUR SEAT, OPEN YOUR EARS. In reality, the more senses involved in your dealership education – such as seeing, hearing and touching – the more likely you and your team will remember it when it comes time to use what you’re learning. That’s why an audio recording is good, but a video is even better. And a course that involves not just video, but also activities, tests and homework is even more effective. Research suggests that if information is presented orally, people remember about 10 percent 72 hours after exposure. Add a picture and that percentage goes up to 65 percent. As a human, our vision is our most powerful sense. The more your training is a multi-sensory experience, the higher the chances you will retain it.

MRAA takes all of this to heart. We work with the experts to design in-person and online education, resources and tools available to you and your employees all year long. They are designed specifically to achieve REAL learning and drive REAL results. And we’re here whenever you need us to guide you along the way.

Priority One’s Growing Equipment Finance Division Increases Staff

Priority One Financial Services, Inc., the industry’s oldest and largest F&I outsourcing provider, adds Kristopher Dobrowski and Mark Schiller to its equipment finance division. This division is dedicated to helping both dealers’ and their customers with their commercial finance and leasing needs. These include financing of dealership equipment (service trucks, forklifts, repair lifts), heavy marina equipment (lifts, hoists, tractors), work vehicles (buses, pickups, limousines), trailers (cargo, flatbed, gooseneck) and more.

Kris joined Priority One in 2010 and recently moved into the equipment finance division as a commercial finance manager.  His responsibilities include securing new accounts, managing applications, loan and lease consulting and communicating with lenders, dealers and businesses looking to finance equipment.

Mark is no stranger to Priority One either, as he was a business manager prior to accepting the position of equipment finance account manager.  In his new position, Mark will be responsible for bringing new dealer partners aboard, managing current partners to ensure satisfaction and attending industry shows.

Nicole Armstrong, Vice President of Sales & Marketing of Priority One comments, “We are happy with the progress we have seen in our commercial equipment financing services and are excited to bring additional, well-qualified professionals into this expanding division.  Both Kris and Mark’s many years of experience within the company will prove to be very valuable in helping grow the equipment finance division.”                      

About Priority One Financial Services
Priority One has been serving the marine and RV industry since 1987. Acquired in 2007 by Forest River, Inc. a Berkshire Hathaway company, Priority One serves as the F&I managed services provider for hundreds of dealers nationwide. For more information, visit www.P1FS.com.

MRAA Announces 2018 Great Dealerships To Work For

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas named the marine industry’s innaugural Great Dealerships to Work For, recognizing 20 boat dealers at an awards program last month and through a publication released today.

The 20 dealerships qualified for recognition through the results of the Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program’s annual Employee Satisfaction Survey. This survey, administered anonymously through the MRAA, asks Certified Dealership employees to answer 37 questions about their satisfaction with dealership management and leadership, workplace satisfaction, dealership reputation, and customer relations, all on a scale of 1 to 5, with “5” being Highly Satisfied. The answers add up to a cumulative score for overall Employee Satisfaction, and MRAA recognized all dealerships who achieved a score of 90 percent or better.

“It’s common knowledge that employee satisfaction has a direct influence on customer satisfaction,” explains Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “It’s truly an honor for us to be able to identify and recognize those businesses and individuals who go to great lengths to create a rewarding and motivational culture and atmosphere for their employees.”

In 2018, 190 Certified Dealerships went through the Employee Satisfaction Survey process and were eligible for recognition in the Great Dealerships to Work For Program. Of those who participated, only the top 20 qualified at the 90 percent mark or higher. Those dealerships are:

  1. Breath’s Boats & Motors, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
  2. Tracker Boat Center, Florence, Alabama
  3. Bass Pro & Tracker Boat Center, Columbia, Missouri
  4. Desmasdon’s Boat Works, Pointe au Baril, Ontario
  5. River City Boat Sales, Aurora, Oregon
  6. Tracker Boat Center, Longview, Texas
  7. Bass Pro & Tracker Boat Center, Harlingen, Texas
  8. Tri-State Marine, Deale, Maryland
  9. Blue Springs Marine, Blue Springs, Missouri
  10. Boulder Boats, Visalia, California
  11. Boulder Boats, Henderson, Nevada
  12. Baert Marine, Middleton, Massachusetts
  13. Tracker Marine Boat Center, Pearl, Mississippi
  14. Bass Pro & Tracker Boat Center, Palm Bay, Florida
  15. Deep Creek Marina, McHenry, Maryland
  16. Bass Pro & Tracker Boat Center, East Peoria, Illinois
  17. Marina Fortin, Ile Aux Noix, Quebec
  18. Russell Marine, Real Island, Alexander City, Alabama
  19. M&P Mercury Sales, Burnaby, British Columbia
  20. Cabela’s & Tracker Boat Center, Louisville, Kentucky

“Based on the commitment they’ve made, the requirements they’ve met and the continuing education they navigate, not to mention their ongoing focus on both employee and customer satisfaction, we believe that our Certified Dealers are the industry’s leading retail businesses,” explains MRAA Certification Manager Liz Keener. “These 20 dealerships truly represent the cream of the crop when it comes to measurable, objective outputs like their Employee Satisfaction Survey results, and we are thrilled to recognize their great accomplishments.”

The 2019 Employee Satisfaction Surveys will be distributed to Certified Dealers April 15, 2019. To be eligible for consideration in MRAA’s 2019 Great Dealerships to Work, Employee Satisfaction Surveys must be completed by August 31, 2019.

 

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About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.

Marine Retailing in a Learning Economy

Educate. [ej-oo-keyt] verb. to provide with information in order to develop mentally, morally, or aesthetically especially by instruction for a particular calling or practice in a particular area for a particular purpose.

When we were kids, we thought we had it figured out. First, you go to school to get educated. Then, you graduate and put what you learned to work in the real world – in our case, the boat dealership.

But we were wrong. The first thing you learn when you start a new job is how much you DON’T know. Yeah, with experience, you learn how to be more successful at your job. But just when you start getting good, you either get promoted into a new job where it all starts over again or you begin to realize that what it means to be good at most of the jobs we do is changing.

That’s why, as leaders in the boat business, education for ourselves and our team needs to be top of mind. Education doesn’t mean the same thing to us now as it did in school. It’s not about learning for the sake of learning. It’s quite simply our path to sustaining, improving and growing our dealerships. And if anything, it has become MORE important since our school days, not less.

The idea that what we think we know about our work is constantly changing is the focus of a book that just came out, called “Never Stop Learning.” In it, author Brad Staats makes the argument that we no longer live in a “knowledge economy” – where growth is dependent on the quantity, quality, and accessibility of the information available.

We actually live in a “learning economy,” where what drives success in our businesses is constantly changing. Knowledge and information are not fixed anymore. What you learned a year ago or even a month ago may not apply today. Education is no longer an event – it’s a continuous process.

Think about your dealership, for example. There is new information being generated every day – about your prospects, your customers, your employees, your revenue, your profitability, your assets, your efficiency, your marketing and sales. What in the dealership DOESN’T generate data these days? Your growth is dependent on your ability to always be learning about what the latest information – from inside and outside your dealership – means for your success. And adapting to what’s changing.

To help you create the culture of continuous improvement that a learning economy requires, the Marine Retailers Association prepared a Guide to Dealership Improvement, available to members in the Resource Center at MRAA.com.

In addition, we’re constantly producing new educational courses, videos, digital publications, blogs, research reports and tools to support you and your team. Want to learn more? Check out our website at MRAA.com or give our team a call at 763-315-8043.

BoatPAC Holds Fourth Consecutive Event at MDCE

BoatPAC held a reception during the Marine Dealers Conference and Expo in Orlando, Florida on Monday, December 10th, raising almost $5000. BoatPAC is the federal political action committee of NMMA and the MRAA, which supports the election of candidates to the U.S. Congress who are strong advocates for recreational boating.

MRAA and NMMA thanks the following sponsors for making the event possible: MasterCraft, Transhield, Freedom Boat Club, and Correct Craft. NMMA also thanks MRAA and their members for attending the reception and supporting BoatPAC.

To learn more about BoatPAC, visit www.boatpac.org or contact MRAA’s Public Policy Manager Will Higgins at William@MRAA.com.

Florida Dealers: Has Your Business Been Affected by Algae Blooms?

If your dealership has been affected by the devastating red tide algal blooms plaguing South Florida, you may be eligible for a low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)s from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

SBA Administrator Linda McMahon made the loans available in response to a letter from Gov. Rick Scott on Aug. 21, requesting a disaster declaration by the SBA. MRAA, NMMA, and other members of the recreational marine industry wrote Governor Scott last year asking for assistance during this difficult time. The declaration covers Lee, Manatee and Sarasota counties and the adjacent counties of Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hillsborough and Polk in Florida.

Eligible businesses may qualify for loans up to $2 million. The SBA offers economic injury loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. The rates on these loans are 3.385 percent for small businesses and 2.5 percent for nonprofit organizations with terms up to 30 years. Eligibility for these working capital loans are based on the size and type of business and its financial resources. These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. The loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.

For more information, visit here.
To view the complete press release, click here.

If you have questions, please contact MRAA Public Policy Manager, Will Higgins.

Dealer to Dealer: January

What did your dealership accomplish in 2018 that you’re most proud of?

In light of a record sales year, receiving several top industry awards, and signing on a variety of marquis brands, I think I’m most proud of the strides we made with our personnel. We’re now over 100 employees strong and in 2018 we implemented new policies, procedures and benefit programs to insure a harmonious work place with a work environment that offers an atmosphere of growth, stability and teamwork. – Roger Moore, Nautical Ventures

The 2018 year was a huge challenge for our team. We ended 2017 by losing two key long term managers and our top sales guy. During our busy spring, our service writer quit without warning leaving us with two technicians instead of our typical three.  At the end of 2018, our sales office administrator left with our gel coat technician soon to follow. Needless to say, we were short handed with the workforce being more difficult to obtain the correct team members. We got through the year though and ended up very successful with serving our customers with the high standards we hold ourselves to and even being profitable. I am very proud of our other employees that took the initiative to step up and get the tasks done to provide our customers with stellar service and products. – Marc Shallcross, Reed’s Marine

Staff Development.  We filled open positions with great people and provided resources to help them grow in their roles. – Joe Lewis, Mount Dora Boating Center

The biggest achievement/accomplishment we made in the last year was to hire a General Manager for the store and to start a training process for him. During this last 7 months, a milestone was taking him to his first 20 group meeting this fall. Additionally, in terms of curiosity, we added a ninja course and redemption games to our showroom for the winter. It is based primarily on a shoppertainment retail business model. We had over 500 paying ninjas over the Christmas break. – Adrian Spiker, Deep Creek Marina

Each month, MRAA connects with dealership management on a timely and relevant topic and publishing their insights at MRAA.com. Tell us what you have to say about this month’s question by commenting below and participating in the conversation. Also, watch for next month’s question.

President Trump Signs the Modern Fish Act

The recreational fishing and boating community is celebrating the enactment of the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2018 (Modern Fish Act), which was signed into law by President Trump December 31. The Modern Fish Act finally recognizes in federal law the differences between recreational and commercial fishing and adds more appropriate management tools for policymakers to use in managing federal recreational fisheries.
 
“Millions of American families take part in saltwater recreational fishing and boating activities and support multi-billion dollar industries that generate hundreds of thousands of jobs in our country,” said Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Sportfishing Policy. “Today, we are thankful for this important milestone for federal fisheries management and marine conservation, and we look forward to continuing to improve public access to our nation’s healthy fisheries.”
 
The Modern Fish Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Garret Graves (R-La.), enjoyed strong bipartisan support from a long list of cosponsors representing coastal and non-coastal states alike. On December 17, the Senate unanimously passed the Modern Fish Act (S. 1520) followed by overwhelming approval in the House (350-11) on December 19.
 
“This is historic for the recreational boating and fishing community, capping years of hard work to responsibly modernize recreational saltwater fisheries management,” said Thom Dammrich, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “The Modern Fish Act is a critical first-step solution towards establishing a framework for expanding access to recreational saltwater fishing, while ensuring conservation and sustainability remain top priorities in fisheries management. We thank President Trump and Congress for making the Modern Fish Act the law of the land and look forward to working with them in the coming years to advance policies that protect and promote recreational saltwater fishing.”
 
“The recreational fishing industry is grateful to see this legislation enacted,” said Glenn Hughes, president of the American Sportfishing Association. “We look forward to continuing to work with Congress, as well as NOAA Fisheries and the regional fishery management councils, to improve the management and conservation of our marine fisheries.”
 
“The Modern Fish Act signed by the President provides an opportunity for significant, positive change on behalf of millions of recreational anglers who enjoy fishing in federal waters,” said Jeff Crane, president of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. “We look forward to working with NOAA Fisheries, the regional fishery management councils and the states to fully implement the provisions of the bill and improve federal fisheries management for America’s saltwater anglers.”
 
“CCA is proud to be a part of this important coalition, and we are grateful to our champions in Congress who stood by us during the intense, sometimes contentious negotiations on this legislation,” said Patrick Murray, president of Coastal Conservation Association. “There is still work to be done, but this is a valuable first step. We are hopeful this opens the door to an ongoing discussion of tools and processes that can be developed to better manage recreational fisheries in federal waters in all regions of the United States.”
 
“This bill becoming law is the most significant step forward in federal recreational saltwater fishing management in the forty-plus years of the Magnuson-Stevens Act,” said Whit Fosburgh, president of Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “Recreational fishermen, conservationists and businesses united around a set of principles and worked together to get this bill passed and we will continue to work together on priorities like forage fish management and improving data collection in the future.”
 
The recreational fishing and boating community would like to thank the sponsors of the Modern Fish Act, Senator Wicker and Congressman Graves, who led this bipartisan effort in the 115th Congress to improve federal fisheries management for America’s 11 million saltwater anglers. We also appreciate the support of Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Doug Jones (D-Ala.), and Congressmen Steve Scalise (R-La.), Rob Bishop (R-Utah), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Gene Green (D-Texas), Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), and Austin Scott (R-Ga.).
 
The Modern Fish Act will provide more stability and better access for anglers by:

  • Providing authority and direction to NOAA Fisheries to apply additional management tools more appropriate for recreational fishing, many of which are successfully implemented by state fisheries agencies (e.g., extraction rates, fishing mortality targets, harvest control rules, or traditional or cultural practices of native communities);
  • Improving recreational harvest data collection by requiring federal managers to explore other data sources that have tremendous potential to improve the accuracy and timeliness of harvest estimates, such as state-driven programs and electronic reporting (e.g., through smartphone apps);
  • Requiring the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the process of mixed-use fishery allocation review by the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Regional Fishery Management Councils and report findings to Congress within one year of enactment of the Modern Fish Act, and
  • Requiring the National Academies of Sciences to complete a study and provide recommendations within two years of the enactment of the Modern Fish Act on limited access privilege programs (catch shares) including an assessment of the social, economic, and ecological effects of the program, considering each sector of a mixed-use fishery and related businesses, coastal communities, and the environment and an assessment of any impacts to stakeholders in a mixed-use fishery caused by a limited access privilege program. This study excludes the Pacific and North Pacific Regional Fishery Management Councils.

If you have questions, please contact MRAA Public Policy Manager, Will Higgins.

U.S. House Passes Modern Fish Act

First-Ever Sportfishing-Focused Legislation to Pass Congress Heads to President’s Desk
 

Washington, D.C.  – The U.S. House of Representatives passed S.1520, the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2017 (Modern Fish Act). Today’s vote was the final step toward sending the landmark legislation to the President’s desk after it passed the Senate on December 17.
 
“The Modern Fish Act is the most significant update to America’s saltwater fishing regulations in more than 40 years and the recreational fishing community couldn’t be more excited,” said Johnny Morris, noted conservationist and founder of Bass Pro Shops. “On behalf of America’s 11 million saltwater anglers, we’re grateful to Speaker Ryan, the 115th Congress and all the elected leaders who came together to support and enhance recreational fishing across America.”
 
The priorities of the recreational fishing and boating community were identified and presented to federal policy makers in 2014 by the Commission on Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Management in a report “A Vision for Managing America’s Saltwater Recreational Fisheries.” The Commission was known as the Morris-Deal Commission, named for co-chairs Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, and Scott Deal, president of Maverick Boat Group. Four years later, many of the recommendations of the Morris-Deal Commission are found in the Modern Fish Act.
 
“America’s anglers and members of the recreational fishing and boating industry are among the most responsible stewards of our marine resources because healthy fisheries and the future of recreational fishing go hand-in-hand,” said Scott Deal, president of Maverick Boat Group. “A huge thank you to our congressional leaders who answered the call of the recreational fishing community to improve the way our fisheries are managed.”
 
America’s 11 million saltwater anglers have a $63 billion economic impact annually and generate 440,000 jobs, including thousands of manufacturing and supply jobs in non-coastal states. Furthermore, $1.3 billion is contributed annually by anglers and boaters through excise taxes and licensing fees, most of which goes toward conservation, boating safety and infrastructure, and habitat restoration.

“It is a historic day for America’s 11 million saltwater anglers thanks Senator Roger Wicker, Congressman Garret Graves and our many champions in Congress who fought until the very end for recreational fishing to be properly recognized in federal law,” said Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Sportfishing Policy. “For the first time ever, Congress is sending a sportfishing-focused bill to the President’s desk.”
 
The Modern Fish Act will provide more stability and better access for anglers by:

  • Providing authority and direction to NOAA Fisheries to apply additional management tools more appropriate for recreational fishing, many of which are successfully implemented by state fisheries agencies (e.g., extraction rates, fishing mortality targets, harvest control rules, or traditional or cultural practices of native communities);
  • Improving recreational harvest data collection by requiring federal managers to explore other data sources that have tremendous potential to improve the accuracy and timeliness of harvest estimates, such as state-driven programs and electronic reporting (e.g., through smartphone apps);
  • Requiring the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the process of mixed-use fishery allocation review by the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Regional Fishery Management Councils and report findings to Congress within one year of enactment of the Modern Fish Act, and
  • Requiring the National Academies of Sciences to complete a study and provide recommendations within two years of the enactment of the Modern Fish Act on limited access privilege programs (catch shares) including an assessment of the social, economic, and ecological effects of the program, considering each sector of a mixed-use fishery and related businesses, coastal communities, and the environment and an assessment of any impacts to stakeholders in a mixed-use fishery caused by a limited access privilege program. This study excludes the Pacific and North Pacific Regional Fishery Management Councils.

The coalition of groups supporting the Modern Fish Act includes American Sportfishing Association, Center for Sportfishing Policy, Coastal Conservation Association, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, International Game Fish Association, National Marine Manufacturers Association, Recreational Fishing Alliance, The Billfish Foundation and Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
 
America’s recreational fishing and boating community applauds Congress for this historic vote and looks forward to final enactment of the Modern Fish Act following the President’s signature.