Critical info for all of us

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This is a column from Robert Montgomery for ESPN Outdoors. As a Senior Writer for BASS Publications, Montgomery has written about conservation, environment, and access issues for more than two decades. It's part of a series of articles from Montgomery on the issue. See a response from editor Steve Bowman regarding concerns with this column.

The Obama administration has ended public input for a federal strategy that could prohibit U.S. citizens from fishing some of the nation's oceans, coastal areas, Great Lakes, and even inland waters.

AP/Luis M. Alvarez
One sign at the United We Fish rally at the Capital summed up the feelings of recreational and commercial fishermen. This announcement comes at the time when the situation supposedly still is "fluid" and the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force still hasn't issued its final report on zoning uses of these waters.

Fishing industry insiders, who have negotiated for months with officials at the Council on Environmental Quality and bureaucrats on the task force, had grown concerned that the public input would not be taken into account.

"When the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) completed their successful campaign to convince the Ontario government to end one of the best scientifically managed big-game hunts in North America (spring bear), the results of their agenda had severe economic impacts on small family businesses and the tourism economy of communities across northern and central Ontario," said Phil Morlock, director of environmental affairs for Shimano.

"Now we see NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and the administration planning the future of recreational fishing access in America based on a similar agenda of these same groups and other Big Green anti-use organizations, through an Executive Order by the President. The current U.S. direction with fishing is a direct parallel to what happened in Canada with hunting: The negative economic impacts on hard-working American families and small businesses are being ignored.

"In spite of what we hear daily in the press about the President's concern for jobs and the economy and contrary to what he stated in the June order creating this process, we have seen no evidence from NOAA or the task force that recreational fishing and related jobs are receiving any priority."

Unless more anglers speak up to their Congressional representatives so their input will be considered, it appears the task force will issue a final report for "marine spatial planning" by late March. President Barack Obama then could possibly issue an Executive Order to implement its recommendations.

Led by NOAA's Jane Lubchenco, the task force has shown no overt dislike of recreational angling. As ESPN previously reported, WWF, Greenpeace, Defenders of Wildlife, Pew Environment Group and others produced a document entitled "Transition Green" shortly after Obama was elected in 2008.

What has happened since suggests that the task force has been in lockstep with that position paper, according to Morlock.

In late summer, just after the administration created the task force, these groups produced "Recommendations for the Adoption and Implementation of an Oceans, Coasts, and Great Lakes National Policy." This document makes repeated references to "overfishing," but doesn't reference recreational angling, its importance, and its benefits, both to participants and the resource.

Additionally, some of these same organizations have revealed their anti-fishing bias with their attempts to ban tackle containing lead in the United States and Canada.

Also, recreational angling and commercial fishing have been lumped together as harmful to the resource, despite protests by the angling industry.

Morlock's evidence of collusion -- the green groups began clamoring for an Executive Order to implement the task force's recommendations even before the public comment period ended in February.

On Feb. 12, the New York Times reported on that "President Obama and his team are preparing an array of actions using his executive power to advance energy, environmental, fiscal and other domestic policy priorities."

Click here for archiveMorlock fears that "what we're seeing coming at us is an attempted dismantling of the science-based fish and wildlife model that has served us so well. There's no basis in science for the agendas of these groups who are trying to push the public out of being able to fish and recreate.

"Conflicts (user) are overstated and problems are manufactured. It's all just an excuse to put us off the water."

In the wake of the task force's framework document, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) and its partners in the U.S. Recreational Fishing & Boating Coalition again voiced their concerns to the administration.

"Some of the potential policy implications of this interim framework have the potential to be a real threat to recreational anglers who not only contribute billions of dollars to the economy and millions of dollars in tax revenues to support fisheries conservation, but who are also the backbone of the American fish and wildlife conservation ethic," said CSF President Jeff Crane.

Morlock, a member of the CSF board, added, "There are over one million jobs in America supported coast to coast by recreational fishing. The task force has not included any accountability requirements in their reports for evaluating or mitigating how the new policies they are drafting will impact the fishing industry or related economies.

"Given that the scope of this process appears to include a new set of policies for all coastal and inland waters of the United States, the omission of economic considerations is inexcusable."

This is not the only access issue threatening the public's right to fish, but it definitely is the most serious, according to Chris Horton, national conservation director for BASS.

"With what's being created, the same principles could apply inland as apply to the oceans," he said. "Under the guise of 'marine spatial planning' entire watersheds could be shut down, even 2,000 miles up a river drainage from the ocean.

"Every angler needs to be aware because if it's not happening in your backyard today or tomorrow, it will be eventually.

"We have one of the largest voting blocks in the country and we need to use it. We must not sit idly by."

[VietVet1968]

I see this as a clear cut case of political posturing, if we are going to allow these type of posts, would the moderators please say so, so if need be I can take my business on down the lake.

[DrakeDuster01]

I don't see it as political posturing at all. I spend the vast majority of my free time in the summer fishing in the salt. The Feds have banned the harvest of red snapper and put other closures on reef fish as well without any hint of sound science backing the decision. If the word doesn't get out to the fisherman, it will not stop with a select few species of salt water reef fish. The goal is to have no hook in the water........that includes our beloved specks.

Not so clear cut after all is it?

[Outnumbered]

I see this as a clear cut case of political posturing, if we are going to allow these type of posts, would the moderators please say so, so if need be I can take my business on down the lake.

In complete agreement with this statement... although I have no intention of leaving at this time

[#1 SuS-speck]

I need more info,I've learned not to rely on one man's view (sometimes they are tainted),I understand the need for conservation and understand the impact that local families are having to deal with now with all the bans offshore,but when was the last time you went out on a head boat and could keep any fish caught,most fish caught are to small to keep,we as a people are depleting our resources at an all time alarming rate. I feel both sides of the argument, but I'm just going to do my part and throw back the small ones and be thoughtful in what I keep and if we teach the youth (the future) to do the same we will be all alright. I'm #1 Sus-speck and I approved this message.LOL

[chiefmoochachew]

This is exactly what these special interest groups do they try to scare everyone into their voice being heard for a monetary donation, their using the NRA's model of scare everyone and make big bucks. Don't fall for it it's all BS. I called our game & fish dept. in KS and they laughed. They need the masses of Recreational anglers on their side so why not just scare folks it worked on guns so why not your fishin poles too.

[Fish4life71]

this dude has spammed this also in every single state forum too, some people need a real hobby

[J_ROW]

I see this as a clear cut case of political posturing, if we are going to allow these type of posts, would the moderators please say so, so if need be I can take my business on down the lake.

I'm sure the people in China said the same about Mao Tse-Tung , Russians about Stalin and Marx , and the people of Venezuela about Chavez. So drink your cool aide, as for me I'm keeping my heat handy and pack it ever where I go.

[GCD]

Let's see now, our DNR would lose revenue from resident and nonresident fishing licenses, Cabelas and BassPro would have to close their doors, boat and tackle manufacturers would go under too, the folks that sell live bait would be out of business... yup, I can really se this happening!... NOT!!!

I don't see it as political posturing at all. I spend the vast majority of my free time in the summer fishing in the salt. The Feds have banned the harvest of red snapper and put other closures on reef fish as well without any hint of sound science backing the decision. If the word doesn't get out to the fisherman, it will not stop with a select few species of salt water reef fish. The goal is to have no hook in the water........that includes our beloved specks.

Not so clear cut after all is it?

The government has banned the harvest of Red Snapper and other reef fish because it wouldn't be fair to just ban the commercial rapers and let the sport fishermen continue to catch these fish. What the government really needs to do is ban all netting and give the commercial rapers a rod and reel instead and see how much damage they can do!.. could you imagine the kicking, screaming, and crying that would go on then???

[Fish4life71]

they didnt ban red snapper in florida, they just changed the season from april to sept, to june till sept. its amazing someone just types they banned fishing without doing any research, they arent much of a red snapper fisherman if they dont know that they didnt ban red snapper fishing and that they just changed the seasons on them. also you can catch and release all you want, ever think of that instead of trying to stuff your fridge with every fish you catch?