Well, folks, you've seen some recent posts about which fishing groups are in the corner of recreational fishermen. The lines have now clearly been drawn.
A letter dated Oct. 22nd was sent to the Under Secretary of Commerce (Dr. Jane Lubchenco) that stated the following (bold added for emphasis) -
"The
single most important element in generating this revenue is
not the actual catching of fish, but the revenue from
the fishing experience..."
"In short, much of the value of recreational fishing comes from the broader experience of
"going fishing" rather than the actual catching of fish."
Here is the list of co-signatories -
American Sportfishing Association (ASA)
Center for Coastal Conservation (CCC)
Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
International Game Fish Association (IGFA)
National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Ocean Conservancy
Oceana
Pew Environment Group
The Billfish Foundation (TBF)
TALK ABOUT THROWING FISHERMEN UNDER THE BUS!!!!
ASA, CCA, IGFA, NMMA, TBF, all saying to government that
THE VALUE OF FISHING IS NOT CATCHING FISH.
Are these the groups representing you as a fisherman? Do you go fishing expecting to find value in not catching fish?
Lubchenco Letter (pdf)
