Charles Pekow recently wrote an article for the Examiner (available in its entirety here).  The CRE has been following developments on Coastal Marine Spatial Planning on its Ocean Zoning IPD.  Mr. Pekow’s article sheds some light on the lack of stakeholder involvement with the implementation of the National Ocean Policy, specifically as is pertains to recreational fishermen.

Citing to the congressional testimony before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs, Mr Pekow concludes, “The National Ocean Policy adopted by the Obama Administration is severely limiting recreational fishing opportunities.”

The articles highlights some notable testimony from the Congressional hearing:  “Capt. Robert Zales II, president of the National Association of Charterboat Operators, complained that anglers are already overregulated. ‘The Fishing Industry (recreational and commercial) cannot absorb any more regulatory burden,’ Zales testified. ‘The costs and regulatory burdens have driven private recreational fishermen to find other forms of recreation. They have forced the recreational for-hire owner out of business because the consumer is unwilling to continue to pay more for the government requirements as the costs of regulations cannot be passed on.'”

“Gary Zurn, a board member of the American Sportfishing Association… [added] ‘recreational fishermen view themselves as conservationists first and foremost, as evidenced by the millions of dollars they contribute to fisheries conservation and the countless hours volunteered towards fish stocking and fisheries habitat projects. Recreational fishing accounts for just two percent of all marine finfish harvest…. According to the (the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, most) fish caught by anglers are released alive. Most recreational fishing gear never comes in contact with any aquatic habitat, whereas commercial gears like trawls scour the bottom of the ocean. I say this not to put commercial fishermen in a bad light, but rather to highlight the relatively light environmental footprint that recreational fishermen have on the environment, while also contributing so much– both financially and through volunteer work on fisheries restoration projects – back into conserving the sport we love.’”

Please visit here to read the article by Mr. Pekow 

http://www.examiner.com/article/recreational-angling-industry-slams-obama-coastal-policy#ixzz1qtkHMWMv