Coast to Coast, MSA Must Provide Similar Tools to Manage All Fisheries

Coast to Coast, MSA Must Provide Similar Tools to Manage All Fisheries

The reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act that will dictate management of our nation’s fisheries for years to come is currently working its way through Congress. Much of the debate has focused on the effort to add more “flexibility” to rebuilding timelines (some flexibility already exists in the act). Unfortunately, a lot […]

On Volunteers: Giving Back to the Sport We Love

On Volunteers: Giving Back to the Sport We Love

Earlier I wrote on the need for regulatory action to save salmon. After writing about that, I feared that I gave the impression of an underappreciated volunteer base; nothing could be further from the truth. I work for the Association of Northwest Steelheaders, a dedicated group of over 1,600 members that collectively, contribute over 30,000 […]

State Management Fails Southern Flounder

State Management Fails Southern Flounder

Summer flounder management gets a lot of publicity, and has for the last fifteen years, even though the management of that species has been very successful. But there is another closely related fish, the southern flounder, which gets far less publicity, although its management hasn’t been very successful at all. Summer flounder are managed by […]

Fishermen Are Playing Their Part to Help Whales

Fishermen Are Playing Their Part to Help Whales

Interactions between whales and fixed gear (e.g. pots, traps, etc.) fisheries off the California coast are on the rise. And while California fishermen are continuing their legacy of stepping up to make sure that the west coast Dungeness crab fishery remains one of the most sustainable and conscientious fisheries on the planet, others have suggested […]

We Have to Move Mountains: Strong Regulation & Enforcement Will Conserve Wild Salmon

We Have to Move Mountains: Strong Regulation & Enforcement Will Conserve Wild Salmon

As I read yet another article about communities coming together in “collaboration” to ensure the future of salmon and sportfishing, I let out another yawn. Same subject, different day. Of course everyone wants to save salmon and ensure abundant numbers for future generations. I’m no better, however, bringing attention to what everyone already knows: the […]

Could Snook Help Marine Fisheries?

Could Snook Help Marine Fisheries?

Better Recreational Fishing Data Leads to Brighter Fishing Future “Open season” for snook — for what it is with a very strict slot and bag limit — is a bittersweet day for me. So many anglers mark their calendars, hoping for a shot at a keeper. Understandably so: Centropomis undecimalis is undeniably a fantastic dinner. […]