Recreational fishing and boating groups applaud new bipartisan law

Following vocal support from recreational fishermen, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed a bipartisan bill improving menhaden management in the Atlantic.

The legislation transfers management authority of Atlantic menhaden—a small oily baitfish that feeds sportfish like striped bass—to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, which oversees every other saltwater fishery in the Commonwealth.

Now that the bill has been signed into law, the legislation puts Virginia on a path toward compliance with the regional fishery management plan, which Omega Protein violated last year.

“This new law will pave the way for stronger management of the Atlantic menhaden recognizing its critical role in the entire marine ecosystem and its benefits to the recreational fishing economy,” said Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “We want to thank Governor Northam, the bill sponsors, Natural Resources Secretary Matt Strickler, and the recreational fishing sector for working together on this legislation.”

“There is a growing need for more robust conservation practices in our fisheries – including menhaden and all forage fish – this law is an important step towards better recognizing and correcting the harmful impacts overfishing can have on our communities,” said Nicole Vasilaros, senior vice president of government and legal affairs for the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “Protecting forage fish and sportfish stocks is essential for recreational activities in the Chesapeake Bay and across the country and we thank Governor Northam for taking action to that ensure our marine ecosystems remain healthy for generations to come.”

“Thanks to the signature of Governor Northam, menhaden will now be managed by fisheries experts at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission,” said Mike Leonard, vice president of government affairs for the American Sportfishing Association. “Adequate menhaden populations are key to striped bass and other sportfish that support Virginia’s $583,806,000 saltwater recreational fishing economy. This important shift in management authority will help ensure a future of science-based management of menhaden that accounts for their important role in the ecosystem.”

“This commonsense legislation will help fisheries in not just Virginia, but along the entire Atlantic Coast,” said Chris Edmonstron, vice president of government affairs for Boat US.  “Anglers and boaters should all applaud this long overdue change in fisheries management and encourage more science-based management practices be developed and implemented. BoatU.S., along with our 28,000 Virginia members, applaud the passage of this legislation.”

“This decision by Governor Northam and the Virginia General Assembly, which was decades in the making, recognizes the importance of science-backed conservation efforts in maintaining the health of our nation’s fisheries,” said Adam Fortier-Brown, government relations manager for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “Having menhaden fisheries managed by the Virginia Marine Resource Commission, like all other fisheries in the state, will make significant steps towards creating a healthier Chesapeake Bay. We thank the assembly, and Governor Northam for their leadership on this legislation, which will be felt by boaters and anglers all along the Atlantic coast for years to come.”

“On behalf of the Virginia Saltwater Sportsman’s Association and striped bass fishermen everywhere, I would like to thank Governor Northam and his administration, especially Natural Resources Secretary Matt Strickler, for leading the fight to conserve menhaden,” said John Bello, chairman of the Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association Government Relations Committee.  “Menhaden are far too valuable to the ecosystem and to the recreational fishing economy to allow one foreign company to continue sucking up hundreds of millions of forage fish per year. Thank you, Governor.”

Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) members, including MRAA, lauded the Senate for introducing a bipartisan bill, the Great American Outdoors Act, that prioritizes the $20 billion maintenance backlog facing our public lands and waters and finally fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). It includes the Restore Our Parks Act (ROPA), which would help improve key outdoor recreation related facilities like docks, restrooms, campgrounds, trails, roads and more – many of which have needed updating or repairs for years.

ORR members led the extraordinary effort to ensure the inclusion of other agencies, beyond the National Park Service, in this legislation. Thanks to the efforts of Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), among many others, the U. S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will receive maintenance backlog funding. We are thrilled with this outcome that will ensure adequate infrastructure for all types of recreation on our public lands and waters can support rural communities and economies.

LWCF funds can be a lifeline for communities in need of recreation access to local, state and national parks, wildlife habitats, working forests and more. This important program has only been funded at the fully authorized amount of $900 million twice in history. This bill would achieve the decades-long goal of fully and permanently funding LWCF into the future while allowing for more recreation access projects on local, state and federal lands that will support a thriving outdoor recreation economy for years to come.

Infrastructure – especially solving the agencies’ deferred maintenance needs and expanding access for all forms of outdoor recreation – is the main issue that brought ORR together and unites our dozens of sectors. ORR members have worked tirelessly over the years educating leaders in Washington, D.C. and other outdoor recreation partners in order to get both of these key recreation bills to this point. Our strong membership will not stop their work on behalf of all outdoor recreation enthusiasts until this measure is signed into law.

“The Land Water Conservation Fund and the Restore our Parks Act are essential to increasing access to the public lands and resources our industry depends on,” said Marine Retailers Association of the Americas President, Matt Gruhn. “The over $30 billion backlog in federal conservation projects, and upwards of $11 billion backlog in maintenance and repair projects in our National Parks, significantly affect rural economies, and recreational boaters’ and anglers’ ability to take part in the activities they enjoy. We thank Senators Gardner and Manchin for supporting our industry and ask Congress to fully fund these important programs.”

“Today is a huge step for outdoor recreationists, the industry and the $778 billion outdoor recreation economy,” said Jessica Wahl, executive director of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “We have supported these issues for a long time and are thrilled to see movement on them as they will help to further fuel the outdoor recreation economy across the country. We appreciate the sponsors’ dedication to these bills and the huge outpouring of support from ORR members and partners to achieve the inclusion of BLM, USFS, and FWS in the Great American Outdoors Act.”

“Nearly 13 million American families and households use the nation’s trails to ride horses and will benefit from robust trail maintenance programs. The horse industry supports passage of the Restore Our Parks Act (S. 500) and Land and Water Conservation Fund Permanent Funding Act (S. 1081) to enrich the outdoor experience for the country’s recreational riders,” said Julie Broadway, president of the American Horse Council. “The American Horse Council (AHC) applauds the leadership of Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) for introducing a bipartisan package that combines these two important measures that will improve access to America’s trails.”

“America’s public lands are at the root of the multibillion-dollar outdoor economy. It is critical that our country invest in addressing backlogged maintenance at our national parks, as well as our other federal lands, in order to ensure these shared spaces are accessible for Americans and visitors to enjoy,” said Mary Ellen Sprenkel, President and CEO of The Corps Network. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a critical funding stream and passing the Restore Our Parks Act would be a significant step towards ensuring our national parks get the attention they need. In addition, however, we encourage the Senate to consider means to address deferred maintenance at such agencies as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The young adults enrolled in America’s Service and Conservation Corps stand ready to assist resource managers in restoring our public lands.”

“Some of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse areas are found underwater in National Parks such as Biscayne National Park in Florida and the Channel Islands National Park in California”, said Tom Ingram, President & CEO at The Diving Equipment & Marketing Association. “Divers observe firsthand this amazing diversity, and want to preserve these submerged resources, including historic shipwrecks and war monuments. The recreational diving community and the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) fully support the passage of S. 500, the Restore Our Parks Act. We urgently ask for your support in passing this important legislation which will ensure access to these incredible submerged resources for generations to come, while supporting local economies and building healthy communities.”

“Maintaining our public lands is critical for continued access to recreation for motorcycles, ATVs and ROVs (sometimes called side-by-sides),” said Scott Schloegel, Senior Vice President, Government Relations at the Motorcycle Industry Council. “We commend the authors for including Forest Service and BLM lands in the bill. Proper maintenance is critical for responsible management of riding areas and healthy public lands.”

“With such a large, bipartisan group of elected officials coming together in support of legislation that makes a significant investment in our public lands and waters, it is abundantly clear that the outdoor recreation industry, led by boating and fishing, has earned our seat at the decision making table and we’re here to stay,” said Nicole Vasilaros, senior vice president of government and legal affairs at the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “Without raising a dime in new taxes, this bill will repair, restore, and protect our cherished recreation resources for generations to come. There are no good reasons for Congress to delay its passage one more day.”

“Concessioners have helped park visitors enjoy great experiences for more than a century. We believe the nation should demonstrate a new and enduring commitment to connecting all Americans with their parks and other Great Outdoors places – a commitment that includes elimination of a chronic maintenance shortfall and of inadequate places and infrastructure to host the visits of our growing population,” said Scott Socha, chair of the National Park Hospitality Association. “We applaud today’s action by Senate champions and the Administration on the Restore Our Parks Act and the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act. 2020 is an appropriate year for visionary action – great clarity for steps that will make park visits safer, more enjoyable and providing economic sustainability to gateway communities across the nation.”

“Today marks a milestone achievement for the Outdoor Industry Association and outdoor enthusiasts across the country,” said Lise Aangeenbrug, executive director of Outdoor Industry Association. “Our shared public lands and waters are the foundation of the huge and growing outdoor recreation economy, and we are thrilled to see our elected officials coming together in a bi-partisan way to deliver on full funding for LWCF and to commit sustainable funding to address the maintenance backlogs in our national parks. Both of these efforts will go a long way in continuing to grow the outdoor economy and assisting our continued effort to get more Americans into the outdoors.”

“The Restore Our Parks Act offers innovative solutions and sustainable funding that will address the deferred-maintenance backlog on federal lands, which is critical to improving and expanding national campgrounds,” said Craig Kirby, RV Industry Association President. “Campgrounds on federal lands are currently showing distressing signs of wear: crumbling roads and bridges; deferred maintenance needs; and limited camping availability, jeopardizing not only the RV industry but the entire outdoor recreation industry. We are encouraged by the support of this legislation and ask Congress to pass this bill without delay.”

Bill supports recreational fishing economy and science-based management.

With strong bipartisan support, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation that improves menhaden management in the Atlantic. 

The bill, which is headed to Governor Northam’s desk, transfers management authority of Atlantic menhaden to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, which oversees every other saltwater fishery in the Commonwealth. Once signed into law, the legislation puts Virginia on a path toward compliance with the regional fishery management plan, which foreign fishing giant Omega Protein violated last year.    

“With this landmark decision, the Virginia General Assembly has acknowledged the critical role that recreational fishing plays in the Virginia economy and the need for science, and not politics, to guide management,” said Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “For too long, Omega has exploited the Chesapeake Bay at the expense of recreational anglers. This is a huge step forward for sound fisheries conservation in the Chesapeake. The recreational fishing community thanks the bill sponsors and Governor Northam for their leadership as well as the unfailing support of charter captains, fishing guides and other small businesses who rely on a healthy Chesapeake Bay for their livelihoods.”   

In late 2019, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission found Omega Protein had exceeded the Chesapeake Bay reduction fishing cap by 35 million pounds, a ruling upheld by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. Conserving menhaden is particularly important because striped bass, which feed on menhaden, are in worrisome decline.    

“This decision by the Virginia General Assembly, decades in the making, recognizes the importance of science-backed conservation efforts in maintaining the health of our nation’s fisheries,” said Adam Fortier-Brown, government relations manager for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “This move to have menhaden fisheries managed by the Virginia Marine Resource Commission, like all other fisheries in the state, will make significant positive benefits to the recreational boating and fishing community. We thank the assembly, and Governor Northam for their leadership on this legislation, to ensure that boaters, fishermen and anglers along the Atlantic coast to participate in this major economic driver for years to come.”

“As a critical food source for rockfish and other important recreational fisheries, menhaden must be managed sustainably to support their role in the ecosystem,” said Mike Leonard, vice president of government affairs for the American Sportfishing Association. “Allowing the fisheries management experts at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to manage menhaden is a long-awaited step in ensuring science-based management of the resource. The sportfishing industry is particularly grateful to Governor Northam and leaders in the Virginia state legislature for prioritizing this bill and working diligently toward its passage.”

“There is a growing need for more robust conservation practices in our fisheries – not only with menhaden but all forage fish – and the passage of this bill is an important step towards better recognizing and correcting the harmful impacts overfishing can have on our communities,” said Nicole Vasilaros, senior vice president of government and legal affairs for the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “Protecting menhaden is essential for recreational activities in the Chesapeake Bay and we thank Virginia legislators for taking action to that ensure our marine ecosystems remain healthy for generations to come.”   

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, or contact us at 763-315-8043.

On February 19, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved the Biscayne National Park Fisheries Management Plan. The result of decades of debate, the recreational boating and fishing community successfully advocated for a plan that would increase the abundance of targeted species in the park by 20 percent without implementing a marine reserve that many recreational anglers considered a “lock-out” in the nation’s largest recreational marine park.

The new science-backed fisheries management plan, which will go into effect July 1,2020, proposes aggregate bag and size limits specific to the park to increase the wealth and average size of species such as snapper, grouper, hogfish, triggerfish, and grunts. Additionally, the plan addresses:

1. Creates five new Coral Reef Protection Areas (CRPAs) which allow for the continuation of boating and of hook and line fishing. These realistic protections secure some of the most sensitive ecological parts of Biscayne National Park from trap and lobster harvest-related damages.
   

2. Identifies a trap-free zone near the Biscayne National Park Visitor Center, which is a high traffic zone. This measure builds on the park’s prohibition of lobstering in the area, to cause less stress on the environment, promote safer access, and reduce user conflict.
   

3. Lastly, the plan establishes a no-trawl zone within a portion of Biscayne National Park. This sensible protection is meant to conserve seagrass and hardbottom nursery habitats, which will provide reasonable protections for fish and invertebrates and reduce the chance of bycatch.
   

   In addition to approving this new fisheries management plan, FWC approved the following:

4. The joint Biscayne National Park-FWC Science Plan to monitor fish stocks and establish baseline conditions and benchmarks every five years. This will ensure fish stock abundance for generations of anglers to come.
   

5. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Biscayne National Park and FWC to clarify each party’s role in research and monitoring. This MOU includes an agreement that marine reserves would only be considered a suitable conservation option if all other options have been exhausted.

Biscayne National Park and its fisheries management decisions affect the over half a million visitors it welcomes to off the coast of Miami, Florida each year, and influences management plans in other parks across the nation. The recreational boating and fishing community considers it critically important that the park’s decisions identify sound science-backed solutions to balance conservation and public access. Sound conservation decisions to preserve vital aquatic ecosystems have a direct impact on the business of our industry, and how many recreators ultimately get out on the water. This is a major victory for our community, which ensures that our industry can continue to enjoy Biscayne National Park’s robust aquatic resources for years to come.

For more information, please contact MRAA Government Relations Manager, Adam Fortier-Brown at adam@mraa.com.

On February 10, U.S. Representatives John Katko (R-NY-24) and Anthony Brindisi (D-NY-22) introduced the Safe Harbors for Our Recreation Economy (SHORE) Act. This bipartisan legislation would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to account for recreation-based economic impacts in cost-benefit analysis procedures to prioritize funding for harbor maintenance, intracoastal, and inland waterways projects.

“Communities across the country are being forced to deal with significant damages caused by rising water levels, with many small businesses and marine dealers being flooded and going underwater. It is critical that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Office of Management and Budget consider the significant economic impact recreational boating and fishing has on local economies – which generates over $170 billion in economic output annually while supporting nearly 700-thousand well-paying American jobs – and that they prioritize the many outstanding recreational infrastructure projects out industry needs,” said MRAA Government Relations Manager, Adam Fortier-Brown. “We thank Representatives John Katko and Anthony Brindisi for their bipartisan leadership in sponsoring the SHORE Act, which will ensure that our industry receives the funding and consideration that we urgently need and deserve nationwide.”

“Led by boating and fishing, outdoor recreation is one of the fastest growing segments of the economy – generating $778 billion in annual economic output and supporting 5.2 million American jobs – and the SHORE Act will help our industry continue to power national and local economies well into the future,” said Callie Hoyt, NMMA director of federal government relations. “We thank Representatives John Katko and Anthony Brindisi for their leadership on this legislation, which will ensure recreation-based water infrastructure projects across the country receive the attention and funding they need and deserve.”

“Boating and recreation generates millions of dollars in regional economic benefits and creates hundreds of Central New York jobs. However, as communities across Lake Ontario’s southern shore continue to face the devastating consequences of rising water levels, it is critically important that U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) prioritize funding recreational infrastructure projects that play a significant role in our local economy,” said Rep. Katko. “To achieve this, I introduced the Safer Harbors for Our Recreation Economy Act, bipartisan legislation that will prioritize critical maintenance water infrastructure projects in Little Sodus Bay, Fair Haven, Oswego, and coastal communities across Lake Ontario. Prioritizing and executing these maintenance projects will play a key role in creating jobs and driving economic growth and development.”

The current process for prioritizing water infrastructure projects only accounts for commercial activity, leaving water-based recreational activities at a disadvantage. Recreational boating across the U.S. depends on safe, navigable waterways so that boaters can continue to enjoy our natural resources. MRAA supports the SHORE Act, and other legislation that would make the federal government more efficient with taxpayer dollars, and more responsive to the infrastructure needs of our industry.

Specifically, the SHORE Act:

• Bolsters the recreation economy by directing the USACE and OMB to account for recreation-based considerations in cost-benefit analysis procedures for harbor maintenance projects. This ensures the economic benefits of recreational boating are thoroughly considered as part of the project authorization processes.
  

• Improves transparency for USACE and OMB’s processes for prioritizing harbor maintenance projects by requiring these agencies to report to Congress on their procedures and issue recommendations for establishing a uniform calculation for recreation-based economic benefits.

For more information, please contact MRAA Government Relations Manager, Adam Fortier-Brown at adam@mraa.com.

Hundreds of recreational boating industry stakeholders will descend on Washington, D.C. from May 12-14, 2020 for the American Boating Congress (ABC) – the industry’s annual advocacy summit to educate members of congress and the administration on issues impacting your business. And we cordially invite you to join us.

ABC provides attendees with the unique opportunity to meet with elected officials, hear from a host of influential speakers, take part in a series of workshops and seminars, and discuss advocacy priorities with key policymakers. It’s your opportunity to build and strengthen relationships that lead to a brighter future for the recreational boating industry.

• What: The 2020 American Boating Congress
• Where: Washington, D.C.
• When: Monday, May 12, 2020 – Wednesday, May 14, 2020

Register here.

We look forward to seeing you at ABC.

If you have questions or need additional information on the event, please contact Adam Fortier-Brown at adam@mraa.com or Erica Crocker at ecrocker@nmma.org.