Leading fishing tackle manufacturer Shimano American Corp. urges recreational anglers to contact their congressional representatives in regards to impending White House policy that could result in closures of sport fishing in salt and freshwater areas across America.
The Interagency Oceans Policy Task Force was created by the White House in June and charged with developing a comprehensive federal policy for all U.S. coastal, ocean and Great Lakes waters in a 90-day period. The task force could create zoning which may permanently close vast areas of fishing waters nationwide by Dec. 9, 2009.
Shimano President Dave Pfeiffer said, “In spite of extensive submissions from the recreational fishing community to the task force in person and in writing, they failed to include any mention of the over one million jobs or the 60 million anglers which may be affected by the new policies coast to coast.”
Phil Morlock, director of environmental affairs at Shimano, said, “The task force did not make any distinction between the dramatic differences between harmful commercial fishing harvest methods and recreational fishing, even though we spelled it out for then in detail.”
The report makes it clear that future authority for implementing the policy for coastal and inland waters will fall under White House jurisdiction with a new National Ocean Council comprised of more than 20 federal agencies at Cabinet Secretary or Deputy Secretary level. No reference to congressional jurisdiction is indicated.
Shimano is joining with other members of the recreational fishing industry to urge anglers to contact their members of Congress and officials to request this process be required to adopt the economic, conservation and social contribution of recreational fishing as key elements of the policy. Maintaining congressional oversight and state jurisdiction and management is crucial.
E-letters can be sent to the administration and members of Congress by visiting www.keepamericafishing.org/.
[print_link]
Shimano disputes legislation that may impact sport fishing industry
