Striped Bass, Menhaden, Bluefish & Recreational/Commercial Allocation Topped the Agenda Top Photo: Bunker and striper; Credit: John McMurray Last week the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission met, in part, jointly with the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council to consider a number of issues. Of course, because of the COVID 19 pandemic, Commissioners and Council members […]
Category Archives: Policy
Keeping a Clear Head in the Face of COVID
Although I am not quite in the dire straits that many American families are facing in the COVID-19 crisis, things are not going all that well for the recreational sportfishing community. In 30 years of guiding, I’ve found out that it isn’t just fish that our customers need to come fishing, it’s expendable income. And […]
April Reflections from Alaska
April is a predictable month in Alaska. The days grow longer, the snow melts, foliage blossoms and salmon feel the call home. Fishermen and policy-makers fight their own pull back to the sea and train their attention on the last few meetings before the lives of thousands of commercial fishermen and processors will revolve around […]
COVID-19 Impacts Fisheries Management
Photo by John McMurray COVID-19 has disrupted businesses, people’s lives, and government functions. The fisheries management system has not been immune to its effects. At the state, regional and national level, some fisheries management meetings have been postponed, while others have been converted from in-person meetings to webinars where only the most urgent matters are […]
Weathering The Storm: On COVID-19 and the Saltwater Guide Industry
Photo by John McMurray These last several weeks have been awful. No matter how hard I try to find a silver lining, there sure doesn’t appear to be one. If you live in the tri-state area and don’t know anyone who’s been sick yet, you are in the minority. And if you’re on the other […]
Listen Now: Tom Sadler Talks Fisheries Management, Science, the Business of Sustainability…and a Little Fishing
Network deputy director Tom Sadler appeared on the Sustainable Angler podcast last week, and you can listen to the episode below. Details from Sustainable Angler host Rick Crawford: In this episode of The Sustainable Angler podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing the Marine Fish Conservation Network’s Tom Sadler, who has spent the last thirty-five […]
COVID-19 and CARES Act Resources for Fishing and Seafood Communities
Photo: Waterfront in Sitka, Alaska These tough times are creating uncertainty and instability for the seafood and fishing industries, and we know many of our friends and partners, from seafood suppliers, chefs, fishing guides, and family commercial fishermen, are struggling. Coastal communities around the U.S. are made up of family businesses that provide fresh, local […]
A View from the Hill: March 2020
A lot has happened since our last View from the Hill in early November, not the least of which has been a presidential impeachment trial and an on-going global pandemic. But there’s also been news on the federal fisheries front, and here are several highlights. In November, the Senate Commerce Committee held a full committee […]