JCAA 1995 SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS
(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association - March 1996 Newspaper)
There were two nominations at the last meeting of the JCAA for Sportsperson of The Year Award for 1995. They were Congressmen James Saxton and Don Kamienski. The reasons they were nominated are listed below. This award will be voted on at this meeting.
Congressman James Saxton has served the fishermen and the shore community in congress since 1984. He has been steadfast in his commitment to the environment and has worked for the protection of all marine resources. I first met Congressman Saxton in 1988 at a scheduled fifteen minute meeting to discuss fisheries and environmental matters. The fifteen minute meeting turned into ninety minutes and Congressman Saxton would have talked longer but I had another meeting. I was immediately impressed that he would give these issued his attention for that much time. I was also impressed by the staff he hired, people with scientific credentials who were looking for in depth solutions to complicated problems rather than a quick fix to get votes. Congressman Saxton has always asked for the best scientific data available and has used this data to make decisions. His interest in protecting Striped Bass and his understanding of the economic impact of Striped Bass fishing is long standing. He is instrumental in reauthorizing the Striped Bass Conservation Act whenever necessary and is the original cosponsor of H.R. 393, the Striped Bass Gamefish Bill. He also introduced H. R. 2655, closing the EEZ to Striped Bass fishing for an additional five years.
Congressman Saxton has shown clear leadership in environmental matters. He has been instrumental in every reauthorization of the Clean Water Act, tightening loopholes that threatened the environment. During the 104th Congress, Congressman Saxton has waged battles to protect the Clean Water Act, the Coastal Zone Management Act and the Endangered Species Act. He has also championed the inclusion of the Mullica River into the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. Congressman Saxton is a firm believer in the acquisition of ecologically-sensitive land to be included in the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge rings the Barnegat Bay, which recently was included in the National Estuary Program. He joined with the Barnegat Bay Citizen Advisory Group to urge the Environmental Protection Agency to include the bay in the NEP.
Through his steady gain in seniority and the reorganization of the House of Representatives, Congressman Saxton is now Chairman of the Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee for the House Resources Committee. He is now in a position to make policy decisions that affect fisheries and fish habitat. Unlike some of his colleagues, Congressman Saxton has always realized how important it is to be an advocate for all fishermen and marine resources. He truly wants to understand our problems, both commercial and recreational, and come up with good, scientific solutions. For all these reasons, it is a pleasure to nominate Congressman Saxton for Sportsperson of the Year1 for 1995 because of his thorough attention to detail and dedication in making the first Jersey Coast Fluke Tournament in 1995 such a great success. His efforts brought
Don Kamienski has long been known for his expertise in many aspects of salt water angling. His writing and seminars have been instrumental in making many anglers appreciate the finer points of catching summer flounder in places and amounts that were not possible for them previously.
Don has been nominated for the honor of being named JCAA Sportsman of the Year the JCAA fund raising efforts to a new level that allows JCAA to do things that were only dreamed of previously.
For most of the years of this association’s existance, various Presidents have anguished over not having enough funds in it’s budget to accomplish many goals. Every aspect of making JCAA a more effective revolves around having enough funds to pay for equipment and materials to publish the monthly newsletter, pay for an office, pay for volunteers to attend so many fisheries meetings and an endless list of odds and ends.
Don Kamienski was payed to do the job he did for JCAA, but his efforts went far beyond the job description. He believed in the goals and accomplishments of JCAA and did the extra work necessary to make them happen.