Washington, D.C. – The Center for Coastal Conservation, the nation’s leading advocate for saltwater recreational anglers, announced today that, effective immediately, its name has changed to the Center for Sportfishing Policy. The new name more accurately reflects the Center’s purpose, which is to organize, focus and engage recreational fishing stakeholders to shape federal marine fisheries management policies.
“Under the new name, the Center for Sportfishing Policy will continue to advocate for sound fisheries policy and communicate with Congress on behalf of the saltwater recreational fishing and boating community,” said Center for Sportfishing Policy President Jeff Angers. “Our new name gets to the heart of our purpose at the Center, which is to help drive legislation that serves to conserve America’s coastal fisheries, while allowing fair and equitable access to America’s marine resources for recreational anglers and boaters.”
In addition to announcing the new name, the Center launched its new website (SportfishingPolicy.com), which illustrates the organization’s focus and purpose and includes key details of its “Let America Fish” campaign.
“Recreational fishing and boating are two of America’s oldest and most beloved pastimes. They are family-friendly activities that connect people to nature and help them to develop an abiding respect for our natural resources,” continued Angers. “We hope that our new website will help lawmakers and the general public gain a deeper understanding of how current federal fisheries law is disenfranchising America’s recreational anglers to the detriment of resource conservation and the country’s economy. Revising federal law and agency guidance will ensure fair and reasonable access to America’s marine fisheries, and improve fisheries management to guide the future of recreational fishing and boating.”
As a group, marine recreational anglers provide a greater economic impact than the domestic commercial fishing industry. America’s 11 million recreational saltwater anglers make a combined economic contribution of $70 billion annually, spend $26.5 billion each year, and create 455,000 American jobs.
In addition, recreational anglers have led the way in maintaining sustainable fish populations and conserving habitats through the investment of volunteer hours, the initiation of habitat restoration projects and charitable contributions. Additionally, their license fees pay for management and restoration conducted by state agencies. Contributions from license fees, excise taxes on fishing equipment and donations drive $1.5 billion annually toward conservation and habitat restoration. Furthermore, the recreational fishing community has developed fishing tackle and best practices that reduce fish mortality because sustaining healthy fish stocks is in the best interest of all Americans.
“The Center for Sportfishing Policy aims to make sustainable fisheries fair by fixing marine fisheries management,” said Angers. “We hope the messages we deliver will resonate with Members of Congress, recreational anglers and boaters nationwide. Our goal is to sustain healthy fish stocks and ensure our ocean fisheries remain truly public resources that are available to all Americans.”
