Category Archives: Policy

Supporting Fisheries and Working Waterfronts with Infrastructure Improvements

Posted by Jun 3, 2021 Featured, Policy, Sustainable Seafood, Working Waterfronts Leave a Comment
Supporting Fisheries and Working Waterfronts with Infrastructure Improvements

As our country slowly recovers from the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent economic shutdown, the Biden administration has chosen to focus its attention on our nation’s infrastructure, with good reason. Historically, large-scale infrastructure projects with their influx of manufacturing and construction jobs have successfully helped the U.S. rebound after economic recessions. Although the word “infrastructure” […]

Read More

Striped Bass Management Demonstrates Why Stakeholders Are “Losing Faith” in the ASMFC

Posted by Feb 25, 2021 ASMFC, Featured, Magnuson-Stevens, Policy, Recreational Fishing, Striped Bass Leave a Comment
Striped Bass Management Demonstrates Why Stakeholders Are “Losing Faith” in the ASMFC

Top photo by John McMurray Striped bass are one of the United States’ most important recreational fish. Between 2010 and 2019, anglers landed more striped bass (measured in pounds) than any other saltwater fish. The bass has paid for its popularity. A benchmark stock assessment released in April 2019 found that female spawning stock biomass […]

Read More

AFFTA Report Offers Recommendations for the Health and Sustainability of America’s Marine Fisheries

Posted by Feb 18, 2021 Climate Change, Featured, Magnuson-Stevens, Policy, Recreational Fishing Leave a Comment
AFFTA Report Offers Recommendations for the Health and Sustainability of America’s Marine Fisheries

Top photo by John McMurray As the Biden administration and Congress begin to tackle the challenges of fisheries management, especially the impacts of climate change, they will find recommendations and actions for federal fisheries management and marine conservation efforts in a new report released by the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA). The Network’s National […]

Read More

Executive Order on Climate Change Takes Inclusive Approach to 30×30 Initiative

Posted by Feb 4, 2021 Climate Change, Featured, Policy 1 Comment
Executive Order on Climate Change Takes Inclusive Approach to 30×30 Initiative

President Biden’s recent Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad is a welcome sea change when it comes to addressing this increasingly urgent global challenge. As President Biden’s fact sheet notes, his administration’s actions will address climate change while, “creating good-paying union jobs and equitable clean energy future, building modern and […]

Read More

Can Magnuson-Stevens’ Stock Rebuilding Provisions Be Improved?

Posted by Jan 27, 2021 Commercial Fishing, Featured, Magnuson-Stevens, Policy, Recreational Fishing 1 Comment
Can Magnuson-Stevens’ Stock Rebuilding Provisions Be Improved?

Photo: Gulf of Maine cod The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens) is probably the most comprehensive, and most successful, marine fishery conservation law in the world. Since the year 2000, it has been responsible for rebuilding 47 once-overfished stocks; other overfished stocks are well on their way to recovery. Much of that success […]

Read More

The Call to Protect Bristol Bay

Posted by Jan 19, 2021 Bristol Bay/Pebble Mine, Commercial Fishing, Featured, Policy, Recreational Fishing, Sustainable Seafood Leave a Comment
The Call to Protect Bristol Bay

Recently, the Marine Fish Conservation Network joined Bristol Bay tribes, local residents, businesses and conservation organizations in supporting the Call to Protect Bristol Bay. We believe it is past the time to permanently protect this national treasure. The Network has consistently supported protections for the Bristol Bay watershed, and the Call to Protect Bristol Bay […]

Read More

Mid-Atlantic Council Flirts With Overfishing

Posted by Jan 7, 2021 Commercial Fishing, Featured, Magnuson-Stevens, Policy, Recreational Fishing 1 Comment
Mid-Atlantic Council Flirts With Overfishing

Bluefish photo by John McMurray The relationship between the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and overfishing goes back a long way. In 1999, the Council adopted a summer flounder quota that had just an 18 percent probability of preventing overfishing, an action that led to the landmark court decision in Natural Resources Defense Council v. […]

Read More