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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Freedom To Fish Act >Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2001 18:53:39 EDT > > ><< FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Forbes Darby > > August 6, 2001 (703) 519-9691 > > Congress Aims to Protect Anglers Freedom to Fish > > Bill responds to arbitrary nature of no-fishing zones > > (Alexandria, VA) Public access to the nations ocean and coastal resources > is being seriously threatened by the increased use of marine protected > areas. In response, the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) and the > Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) worked closely with Congressional > leaders on legislation to protect Americas 12 million saltwater anglers. > Late last week, Senators John Breaux (LA) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) > reintroduced this legislation as the Freedom to Fish Act (S. 1314). > > From California to Florida, no fishing zones are increasingly becoming >the > marine resource management tool of choice. While recreational anglers > account for just 2% of all the fish landed in US ocean waters, some > environmental groups are calling for sport fishing to be eliminated in > anywhere from 5% to 20% of US coastal waters. These arbitrary figures >have > nothing to do with good science contend the proponents of the Freedom to > Fish Act. > > "The proponents of arbitrarily closing off these areas should be ashamed >of > themselves for short changing Americas conservation-minded anglers," says > Mike Nussman, ASA vice president. "Many no-fishing zones ban recreational > fishing even when the science clearly shows that anglers are not causing >a > problem to the resource. Thats just not smart management." > > Nussman goes on to point out that recreational anglers already are >managed > by a strict set of regulations ranging from closed seasons to catch >limits > to size limits and that when enforced correctly, these regulations have > proven to be effective at ensuring healthy fish stocks. > > "Time and area closures can be effective management tools when based on >good > scientific data," said David Cummins, President of CCA, but arbitrary > restriction of recreational anglers merely displaces fishing effort, > increases regulatory confusion, increases user group conflicts and casts > doubt on the entire fishery management process. It is a disservice to all > US citizens." > > Blanket marine closures take away the single most important element to >sport > fishing - the publics access to the water. The Freedom to Fish Act would > establish common sense guidelines and safeguards to preserve the publics > freedom to use and enjoy these resources. > > According to the legislation, only in those cases where recreational >fishing > has demonstrable adverse effects could a specific, well-defined area be > closed. Further, once established targets were achieved, that area would > reopen immediately to recreational anglers. > > "Restricting public admission to our coastal waters should not be our >first > course of action, but rather our last," concluded Senator Breaux. > >>
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