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I attended a well-run ASA Government Affairs meeting in Washington, DC on May 14 & 15. On the 14th we had a long day reviewing many topics that impact on both fresh and saltwater anglers around the country. With the reauthorization of the Magnuson Stevens Act and a few other saltwater issues, our day was full. We spent the following day on Capitol Hill, meeting in a room in the Hill Complex. We had important Congressmen from the Natural Resources join us with their staff for discussions on important issues. We also had one of the Senators from the Commerce Committee that will deal with many of the issues that follow.
After the morning meetings, I met with Congressman McArthur’s staff and the staff from both Senator Menendez and Senator Booker. Senator Booker will be an important ally since he is the ranking Democrat on the Fisheries Subcommittee. It will be important to write his office to make them aware of your opinion on important fisheries issues.
Mike Leonard, Scott Gudes and Melanie Sturm did a fantastic job organizing the two-day meeting. I was impressed with the way the meetings were run and the opportunities we had to meet our elected officials while on the Hill. The ASA staff did a great job with other members, helping them visit Congressional offices throughout the day. Many members of ASA come from the business community and were able to represent their company and describe the economic impact of recreational fishing. I am looking forward to ICAST and the Recreational Summit to follow up on these issues.
I received a copy of a letter written by Senators Menendez and Booker and Congressman Pallone asking for an extension of 60 days for the comment period on seismic blasting. Clean Ocean Action has been doing a great job coordinating this effort and keeping everyone informed. I wonder how the students at Rutgers would feel if they knew their University was moving forward with a project under the guise of climate change that will primarily be searching for opportunities for oil and gas drilling. I also think they would be upset when they find the proposed seismic blasting will have a negative impact on whales, porpoises and other marine mammals as well as the fish. Go to Clean Ocean Action’s webpage to sign the petitions and keep informed.
A greater use of the Fisherman’s Walkway by the boaters from Tice’s Shoals is creating a number of problems at Island Beach State Park. It is important to understand that the Fisherman’s Walkway was designed to provide access to handicapped anglers. Area 7 is not a swimming area and has no life guard. The boaters from Tice’s Shoal now walk across and swim in area 7. This allows significantly less access for handicapped anglers. It is also creating a dangerous situation since there is no life guard available. There are frequent demands placed on park staff and first responders from the responding towns when there is a problem. The Commissioner of DEP and the Division of Parks have been seeking a solution. JCAA has been involved with the Fishermen’s Walkway since its inception. The money for the plans came from the first year of the Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament. Along with JCAA, the NJ Beach Buggy Association and the NJ State Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs were invited with other organizations to a meeting to discuss options. The press release contained in this newspaper includes the recommendations.
I think that the recommendations are a step in the right direction. I fully support what DEP and the Division of Parks are proposing. We need to pay attention as the regulations are determined and implemented. We will be discussing this further at the JCAA meeting because the present system is not working for handicapped anglers and we need to support a change.
Last month I published the preliminary agenda for the upcoming ASMFC meeting. There will be many interesting topics for discussion during the four days of meetings. I am often asked how you can become more involved. Usually the week before the meeting many of the materials for the meeting will be posted on the ASMFC webpage, with supplemental materials posted on the Thursday before. You can download the same documents that I receive as a commissioner. I know some of the documents are more than 100 pages but you can read the summaries. Once you have the meeting materials and the agenda, you can listen on the internet from your home or office. This does not allow you to answer questions but you can certainly be informed. If you have a particular interest in a species, just read the full document and listen to the discussion. The board meetings are archived if you are not available in real time. I meet a lot of anglers in my travels and many of them know I am a commissioner. They start giving me their opinions on how fish should be managed. The first question I always ask them is, “Have you looked at the science?” The second question is, “Did you attend the public hearings and make comments?” And third, “Have you listened to the discussion from the Board meeting?” Your comments carry greater weight and have more credibility even if you disagree when you can answer yes to these three questions. Some of the chronic complainers can’t answer yes to even one.
