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New National Ocean
Policy May Close Marine and Fresh Waters to Fishing Sooner Than You
Think
Urge the President to
not fast track a process that could have major effects on recreational
fishing
Last
fall, President Obama's Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force released its Interim
Report regarding a new national ocean and Great Lakes
policy. The Task Force, led by the Chair of the White House Council
on Environmental Quality (CEQ), is charged with developing a national
policy for conserving and managing the United States ocean, coastal and
Great Lakes resources.
Not
only did the Interim Report ignore responsibly regulated recreational
fishing as a key activity, but decisions made under this national policy
could be used to unnecessarily close areas of saltwater and freshwater to
recreational fishing. We have yet to see if the final report recognizes
recreational fishing and balances sustainable uses with resource
conservation.
Despite
the complexity of establishing a national policy - and that the Task
Force has yet to release its final recommendations - pressure is being
placed on the President to short-circuit the process and get new policies
in place through an executive order. An executive order would bypass the
necessary oversight, including Congressional review, that such an
important and complex policy deserves. Please act now to protect your access to
recreational fishing opportunities.
Click
here
or visit https://capwiz.com/keepamericafishing/issues/alert/?alertid=14653146
to send a letter to President Obama, your Members of Congress, the head
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the
Chair of the Ocean Policy Task Force urging them to allow for appropriate
Congressional review and oversight before a new ocean policy is put in
place that could affect your ability to fish on waters coast to coast.
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