Fisheries Policy

The world of modern fisheries management is a complex and oftentimes contentious environment. Many of our favorite recreational fisheries are imperiled due to habitat degradation and commercial overfishing. Sadly, recreational fishing interests often take a backseat to commercial fishing practices. Thus, it is vital that recreational anglers are represented during the fisheries management decision making process. Fisheries managers need to be shown that recreational fishing is a growing and vibrant entity of its own that has considerable participation and economic impact globally. This cannot be done without active participation in the fisheries management process.

From working to eliminate destructive fishing gear to advocating for sustainable fisheries management, the IGFA and its international network work ardently to ensure that recreational anglers are represented and the game fish we revere are sustainably managed.

IGFA Advocated for Striped Marlin Conservation

March 27, 2024
IGFA signed on to a letter developed by Wild Oceans’ Theresa Labriola to be sent to the Acting Regional Administrator of NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office regarding striped marlin catch and retention limits in the WCPFC. The letter requests compliance with requirements of MSA, recommending that NOAA Fisheries adopt a striped marlin catch limit of less than 409t consistent with the most current rebuilding analyses, a retention limit at least 20% below the catch limit to address the U.S. relative impact on the stock including bycatch and discard and to avoid excess fishing mortality, and complimentary conservation measures to reduce the catch, discard and mortality of striped marlin, protect vulnerable life histories, and improve recreational and small-boat opportunities. The letter also requests compliance with the current rebuilding plan, pointing out the proposed rule would actually increase US catch of an overfished stock

IGFA Supports Menhaden Research and Management

March 22, 2024
IGFA signed on to two appropriations funding requests, one to the House and the other to the Senate Committees. This request supported prioritized funding for fisheries data collections, surveys, and assessments through the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. Signing organizations requested the Subcommittee appropriate $2.7 million to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission through the Fisheries Data, Collections, Surveys, and Assessments PPA to complete the research outlined in the VIMS “Atlantic Menhaden Research Planning” document

IGFA Supports Rigs-to-Reefs Program

December 14, 2023
IGFA signed on to a letter addressed to Congressman Graves and Congressman Veasey thanking them for their leadership with the Marine Fisheries Habitat Protection Act. Specifically, the bill requires an evaluation of the remaining oil and gas offshore structures for the presence of important reef organisms, and once found, allows for more time for the structures to be converted to a Rigs-to-Reefs program, provided the associated wells are safely plugged just as they would be if they were decommissioned on land. Furthermore, it encourages oil and gas companies to consider the Rigs-to-Reefs program as a decommissioning option by designating the area in the immediate vicinity of the platforms as reef planning areas with the goal of conserving important localized marine ecosystems. Essentially, the bill uses a science basis to facilitate the voluntary conversion of oil and gas platforms to permanent reef fish habitat.

Recreational Community Comments on North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule

December 11, 2023
IGFA signed on to a letter addressed to NOAA Assistant Administrator Janet Coit requesting NOAA Fisheries suspend further action on proposed changes to the North Atlantic right whale (NARW) vessel speed rule published July 29, 2022. The proposed rule is significantly flawed because the technical analysis makes assumptions known to be inaccurate, which may derive from NOAA Fisheries’ decision to proceed without input from impacted stakeholders. This also calls into question the extent to which the proposed rule would even provide NARWs with the protection needed. Undoubtedly, however, the proposed rule would cause deep, lasting economic harm up and down the East Coast and beyond as public access to the ocean is effectively eliminated for months at a time, making it critical that NOAA analyze the issues correctly and pursue technology solutions quickly.

Coalition Urges Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to Adopt Guidance Document

December 7, 2023
IGFA signed on to a letter addressed to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and developed by Wild Oceans and other groups involved in Northeast forage fish management. The letter expressed support for the updated “Guidance Document for Council Review of Exempted Fishing Permit Applications for Unmanaged Forage Omnibus Amendment (UFOA) Ecosystem Component Species”. The letter urged the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to adopt the Guidance at its December meeting with no further revisions.

Recreational Community Supports Amendments in H.R. 6093

December 4, 2023
IGFA signed on to a letter alongside a large group of fishing non-profits and organizations addressed to House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology expressing our strong support for the amendments included in H.R. 6093, the Weather Act Reauthorization of 2023, to reauthorize the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA). The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act is critically important legislation that has advanced the scientific understanding of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and the ability to detect, monitor, assess, and predict HABs and hypoxia events. As recently witnessed in South Florida, the Gulf of Mexico and the San Francisco Bay, HABs have a severe impact on fish populations, fisheries habitats and even human health. Not only are entire ecosystems impacted, but the economic losses extend to local and national businesses that depend on access to healthy aquatic systems.

Community Supports Recreational Fishing Committee within New England Fishery Management Council

November 29, 2023
IGFA signed on to a letter drafted by the Center for Sportfishing Policy, among other fishing non-profits, to express our support for the creation of a Recreational Committee within the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC). The establishment of such a committee is crucial for addressing a broader range of recreational concerns specific to our sector and would foster a more inclusive and effective pathway for the recreational fishing community to engage in the fisheries management process.

IGFA Supports Management Changes to California Gillnet Fisheries

October 19, 2023
IGFA signed on to a letter drafted by a group of NGOs to the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife commending them for developing a suite of management measures to reduce bycatch and bycatch mortality associated with set gillnet fishing in CA waters. The letter expressed our support of the suite of management changes and data collection improvements the CA Fish and Game Commission directed CDFW to bring forward and listed out the measures we thought could be readily adopted that would lead to significant improvements in the conservation of CA species targeted or caught as bycatch in gillnet fisheries.

Recreational Community Provides Comments on NOAA’s Amendment 15

October 2, 2023
IGFA assisted in the development of a letter signed by a coalition of recreational fishing groups. The letter, addressed to NOAA HMS Division, requested that all action on commercial longline spatial management areas be removed from Draft Amendment 15 and deliberated under a separate amendment to the HMS Fishery Management Plan. Our justification for this request and preferred approach is supported by the following comments. As delineated in Draft Amendment 15, the proposed amendment comprises two overarching components:1) Examination of the existing commercial longline spatial management areas. 2) Transitioning the financial responsibility for electronic monitoring (EM) in the pelagic longline (PLL) fishery from NOAA to the industry. The diverse nature of the two issues and their differing timeframes warrant separate deliberative processes for each component.

Coalition Asks NOAA Fisheries for Comprehensive Solution to Recover the Rice’s Whale Population

June 21, 2023
A letter was sent to NOAA Assistant Administrator Janet Coit from a large number of fishing and boating organizations regarding the petition to establish speed restrictions to protect rice’s whales in the Gulf of Mexico. In lieu of the petition, the letter asks NOAA Fisheries to work with all stakeholders in the Gulf of Mexico on a comprehensive solution to recover Rice’s whales. The letter provides the group’s response in listed format to NOAA Fisheries’ request for comments on the Rice’s whale petition for rulemaking in the Gulf of Mexico.

IGFA Requests Conservation and Management Measures for Western and Central North Pacific Striped Marlin

April 26, 2023
A letter was sent to NOAA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries and the Regional Administrator for NOAA’s PIRO office from numerous conservation and fishing groups. The letter asked NOAA to prioritize development and adoption of a conservation and management measure for Western and Central North Pacific Ocean (WCNPO) striped marlin this year. The letter calls for the following: expanding the use of circle hooks, modifying longline gear to remove hooks adjacent to floats or increase hook depth, requiring release of all live striped marlin or non-retention of all striped marlin, establishing a minimum size limit, protecting striped marlin spawning and nursery grounds, and mandatory reporting of live and dead discarded striped marlin.

IGFA Supports LAKES Act

April 24, 2023
A letter was sent by a coalition of fishing and boating organizations saying thank you for leadership in introducing the Lake Access Keeping Economies Strong (LAKES Act)– bipartisan legislation to better equip the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to support historic demand for recreation while growing the economic footprint of the outdoor industry in communities across the country. Through extending recreation fee retention authority to the Corps and making needed reforms to the Corps’ existing joint management authority the LAKES Act will reinvest recreation fees back into the maintenance and repair of recreation facilities and infrastructure and provide the Corps with an essential tool to facilitate public private partnerships in the management of recreation sites – delivering historic wins for public recreation access nation-wide.

Coalition Letter Sent to US Army Corps of Engineers on Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Plan

April 3, 2023
A letter was sent to US Army Corps of Engineers supporting the LOWRP and the State’s Section 2023 initiative. The letter urged the USACE to: 1. Expeditiously complete the review of the SFWMD’s ASR Science Plan, utilizing the significant state investment that has already been made, and submit a Final Chief’s Report containing the LOWRP ASR wells and wetland features to Congress for approval in WRDA 2024. 2. Immediately execute a partnership agreement with the SFWMD to plan an above ground storage feature to work in concert with the LOWRP. 3. Ensure the LOWRP and the above-ground storage feature are delivered to Congress in a timely manner for inclusion in WRDA 2024

Coalition Letter Outlines Vital Everglades Restoration

March 31, 2023
A letter was sent from a group of recreational fishing and boating community members, conservation organizations, and maritime and angling businesses. The letter expressed appreciation for the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies and the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies’ long-time support for Everglades restoration. An outline was provided that suggests efforts to advance vital Everglades and other critical watershed restoration and improvement projects in the FY24 appropriations bills.

IGFA Supports Rigs to Reefs Program

March 21, 2023
A letter was sent to Senate and House Interior Appropriations Chairs and Ranking Members from a group of NGOs stressing the importance of the Gulf of Mexico’s outer continental shelf as fish habitat due to the presence of energy infrastructure. The letter outlines that less than 25% of original energy production structures remain and their presence is vital to many species of important recreational and commercial fisheries. The letter strongly supports the Rigs to Reefs Program and suggests the Appropriations Report language provide the maximum opportunity to safely repurpose platforms through the program.

IGFA Supports Authorization of Deep-set Buoy Gear off US West Coast

March 9, 2023
A Letter was sent to NMFS Assistant Regional Administrator Ryan Wulff on behalf of Wild Oceans, Turtle Island Restoration Network, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The International Game Fish Association, Oceana, and American Sportfishing Association. The letter supports the proposed rule for Amendment 6 to the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species which authorizes deep-set buoy gear as a legal gear type for catching highly migratory species off the U.S. West Coast.

IGFA Requests Science-based Halibut Management in California

March 9, 2023
A letter from a large group of organizations was sent to CDFW Director Bonham and members of the California Fish and Game Commission requesting the CDFW develop a comprehensive, science-based plan for managing California’s halibut fishery. The letter suggests CDFW limit bycatch of halibut by addressing gillnets and bottom trawls. It asks for protection for nursery habitats and safeguarding of prey resources. Finally, the letter suggests CDFW use the best available information about halibut abundance to determine and implement catch limits that would prevent overfishing.

Coalition Supports Transition from Drift Gillnets to Deep Set Buy Gear in California Swordfish Fishery

November 11, 2022
Letter sent to Chair of Pacific Fishery Management Council by coalition of fishing and conservation organizations in support of the transition of the California swordfish fishery from drift gillnets to sustainable gear that imposes minimal bycatch or negative impacts on the open ocean ecosystem. The letter expressed support for the Council’s continued effort to develop hard caps on the drift gillnet fishery. Hard caps specify the Council’s policy of what level of protected species bycatch is unacceptable in the DGN fishery. The letter urged the Council to take final action in November to adopt drift gillnet hard caps and take a strong conservation posture associated with ALTERNATIVE 2 - Rolling Two-Year Hard Cap.

Letter Sent to Senate and House supporting REEF Act

October 28, 2022
Letter signed by fishing and boating organizations to Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees requesting support for including the Reusing Equipment for Environmental Fortification (REEF) Act (S. 2946 / H.R. 5306) in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. The REEF Act will help provide opportunities for retired naval vessels to be considered for artificial reefs, which would boost the marine environment and provide recreational fishing opportunities.

IGFA Submits Comments on Proposed Speed Restrictions to Protect Right Whales

October 26, 2022
Following up the coalition letter and public comment sent on October 3rd and 4th, The IGFA submitted its own letter to NOAA Administrator Janet Coit and submitted a public comment expressing concern over NOAA’s proposed speed restrictions to protect Right Whales along the eastern seaboard of the US. The letter reiterated much of what was discussed in previous letters and comments and included some more scientific language based on Bruce’s study of the stock assessment for Right Whales performed by NOAA scientists.

Legislative Priorities for Sportfishing Community Outlined for Senate and House Leaders

October 18, 2022
Letter sent from coalition of conservation and fishing organizations to Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Superintendent Sarah Fangman offering our visions for future management of the sanctuary and priorities for the restoration blueprint draft rule. The letter stressed the importance of water quality, education, and enforcement to meeting the goals of the restoration blueprint and improving the FL Keys ecosystem. acted by proposed speed restrictions as well as the economics and miscalculations of vessel draft depths.

Legislative Priorities for Sportfishing Community Outlined for Senate and House Leaders

October 3, 2022
A coalition of representatives from the boating and fishing communities, including IGFA, sent an extensive 21-page letter to NOAA Administrator Janet Coit expressing concern over proposed Right Whale speed restrictions and the risk of recreational anglers striking whales. The letter also detailed the incorrect estimation of the number of vessels impacted by proposed speed restrictions as well as the economics and miscalculations of vessel draft depths.

Legislative Priorities for Sportfishing Community Outlined for Senate and House Leaders

September 7, 2022
A large group of fishing, boating, and conservation organizations sent a letter to Senate and House leaders outlining the sportfishing community’s priorities and support in this Congress. The supported bills include:

America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2022 (S.3266)
Natural Resources Provisions Not Included in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (H.R. 4346)
Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (H.R. 2773 & S. 2372)
Reinvesting in America’s Shoreline Economies & Ecosystems Act (S.2130)
Water Resources Development Act (H.R. 7776)

Recommendations Provided to NOAA on Proposed Hudson Canyon Sanctuary

August 3, 2022
A coalition of fishing and boating stakeholders provided public comment to NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries through a letter that highlights the importance and lack of negative impacts of recreational fishing at Hudson Canyon. Recommendations included the maintenance of recreational fishing opportunities, spatial extent of the sanctuary, designated advisory council seats to the recreational community, jurisdictions, and request for a management plan.

Recommendations Provided to Department of the Interior on America the Beautiful/30x30

March 7, 2022
A letter was sent from a very large coalition of angling, hunting, boating, and conservation organizations known as Hunt Fish to the Secretary of the Department of Interior providing recommendations and encouraging the Administration to continue to work closely with stakeholders, including the sporting-conservation community, in support of enhanced conservation delivery in the United States relative to the America the Beautiful Initiative aka 30x30.

IGFA Supports Conservative Dolphinfish Management

February 21, 2022
The IGFA submitted a letter to the NMFS Southeastern Regional office as public comment objecting to Amendment 10 for dolphin and wahoo as written. The letter reiterated support for reducing recreational limits to 30 dolphin per vessel, creating a 2,000lb commercial trip limit, maintaining a 10 dolphin per angler bag limit, and implementing a 20” minimum size limit for regions where there is not already a size limit in place.

IGFA Supports Additional Regulations for Dolphinfish

January 4, 2022
A letter signed by many angling and boating organizations, as well as a petition signed by over 5,000 anglers, was sent to NOAA Administrator Janet Coit on behalf of a large coalition of stakeholders objecting Amendment 10 for dolphin and wahoo. The letter urged NOAA to do more to protect dolphinfish including reducing vessel limits, creating commercial trip limits, expanding minimum size regulations where they do not exist, and maintaining per person bag limits.

Coalition Requests Everglades Restoration Funding

December 23, 2021
A letter was sent from members of the fishing, boating, and outdoor industry, including IGFA, to President Biden in support of bi-partisan congressional letters requesting that the administration allocate at least $1.5 billion towards turnkey Everglades restoration projects (i.e., the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration program) from funding made available to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Vessel Speed Restrictions Will Cripple Coastal Communities, Fail to Protect Right Whales

October 4, 2022
The leading organizations representing recreational fishing and boating in the United States urged the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to pause its proposed North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule, citing numerous significant flaws with the proposal. The proposed rule would broaden the current 10-knot (11.5 mph) speed restriction to include vessels 35 feet and larger (down from 65 feet); expand the go-slow zones from discrete calving areas to essentially the whole Atlantic Coast out as far as 90 miles, and extend these zone restrictions as long as seven months a year.

IGFA Supports Letter from Members of Congress to Invest in Everglades Restoration

August 24, 2021
The IGFA signed on to a letter sent to Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Chairman DeFazio, and Chairman Carper in support of a communication sent from 10 members of Congress in Florida requesting inclusion in the American Jobs Plan legislation of a necessary $5 billion Federal investment to complete Everglades restoration in accordance with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Integrated Delivery Schedule.

Reps. Huffman and Case Introduce Bill to Reauthorize Nation’s Primary Fishing Law

July 27, 2021
Congressmen Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Ed Case (D-Hawaii) introduced the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), America’s primary law governing marine fisheries. MSA has not been reauthorized since 2006. The recreational fishing community commends Reps. Huffman and Case for their thorough approach to drafting the legislation, which included stakeholder roundtables on each coast and the invitation to stakeholders to provide input on the discussion draft of the bill.

Addressing the Depleted Western Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Stock

June, 2021
In 2014, the IGFA was involved in the development of Amendment 7 to the Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery Management Plan to address the depleted western Atlantic bluefin tuna stock. This amendment implemented a variety of actions to limit overfishing and conserve the bluefin stock including designating two new Gear Restricted Areas (GRAs) that prohibited longlining during the spring in the Gulf of Mexico when peak bluefin spawning occurs. In April 2020, NOAA Fisheries announced a rule that converted these GRAs into monitoring areas, effectively reopening this critical location to pelagic longlining once again. The GRAs have been highly successful at reducing mortality of spawning bluefin and removing them puts the depleted western Atlantic bluefin stock at unnecessary risk. A coalition including IGFA and a large number of scientific, environmental, and industry organizations recently submitted a letter to NOAA expressing opposition to reopening the GRAs to pelagic longlining.

Western and Northern Pacific Ocean Striped Marlin

June, 2021
The IGFA and a coalition of stakeholder organizations sent a letter to NOAA Fisheries to express support for the United States’ continued commitment to negotiating strong international conservation measures for Western and Central North Pacific Ocean (WCNPO) striped marlin. These measures are necessary to replenish the spawning stock and restore opportunities for small-boat and recreational fishers in Hawaii and the eastern Pacific.

Leading Recreational Fishing Organizations Unite to Protect a Critical Spawning Aggregation

February, 2021
Commissioners of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved the final rule to implement a seasonal fishing closure in a one square-mile section of the Western Dry Rocks off the Florida Keys from April 1 to July 31. This important decision will protect the peak spawning seasons of some of the most important recreational and commercial species in Florida including permit, and multiple snapper and grouper species.

Urging Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission To Vote for a Limit to the Total Allowable Catch in 2021-2022 of Menhaden

October 16, 2020
The IGFA, along with a coalition of stakeholders, sent a letter to the Florida delegation of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission urging them to vote for a limit to the total allowable catch in 2021-2022 of menhaden. In August 2020, the commission voted to adopt ecological reference points for Atlantic menhaden and the letter urges the commission to implement the newly developed system by setting catch limits. (click title to read more)

Add Bullet Mackerel (Auxis rochei) and Frigate Mackerel (Auxis thazard) to the Unmanaged Forage Omnibus Amendment

October 2, 2020
IGFA and a coalition of forage fish stakeholders sent a letter to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council urging them to advance their commitment to forage fish by pursuing a framework action to add bullet mackerel (Auxis rochei) and frigate mackerel (Auxis thazard) to the Unmanaged Forage Omnibus Amendment in the 2021 Implementation Plan. (click title to read more)

H.R. 5126, Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices Act of 2020

September 29, 2020
IGFA and a coalition of fishing and boating organizations sent a letter to House members urging the passing of H.R. 5126, Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices Act of 2020. The DESCEND Act would require reef fish anglers in the Gulf of Mexico to possess devices that aid fish in overcoming the effects of barotrauma and would be a major step in the right direction to improving discard mortality of red snapper and other reef fish. (click title to read more)

No Action on the Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) to Fish with Longline Gear in the West Coast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

September 9, 2020
The IGFA, along with Wild Oceans, American Sportfishing Association, and the Coastal Conservation Association of California sent a letter to the NOAA Fisheries requesting support for No Action on an exempted fishing permit to fish with longline gear in the west coast exclusive economic zone. The letter further urges NOAA and NMFS to test, develop, and authorize new alternatives to high bycatch fisheries such as deep-set buoy gear which is a more sustainable alternative.(click title to read more)

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Requesting Implementation of Ecological Reference Points for Atlantic Menhaden

July 16, 2020
A coalition of more than 80 organizations and businesses, including IGFA, sent a letter to Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission requesting implementation of ecological reference points for Atlantic menhaden. The letter points out the critical role menhaden play as forage fish for a variety of our beloved game fish and the importance of well managed forage fish species for coastal communities.. (click title to read more)

Tell Army Corps of Engineers to Deny the Clean Water Act 404 Permit for the Proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska

May 12, 2020
A coalition, including IGFA, representing hundreds of thousands of businesses, anglers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts sent a letter to President Trump urging him to direct the Army Corps of Engineers to deny the Clean Water Act 404 permit for the proposed Pebble mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska. If built, the mine would immediately jeopardize thousands of American jobs, hundreds of businesses, and put the fishing and hunting paradise that is Bristol Bay at great risk. . (click title to read more)

Support of Amendment 29 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Fishery Region

April 27, 2020
A coalition of angling, boating, and conservation organizations, including IGFA, sent a letter to the Southeast Regional Office of NMFS in support of Amendment 29 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Fishery Region (NOAA-NMFS-2020-0008). This Amendment would modify gear requirements to promote best fishing practices through a requirement to possess and use descending devices in fish that show signs of barotrauma. (click title to read more)

S. 2773, The Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act

July 23, 2018
Dear Chairman Thune and Ranking Member Nelson,
Drift gillnets are an unsustainable and outdated form of fishing gear that has been banned throughout the United States, with the exception of the California swordfish fishery. These nets incur intolerable levels of unintended bycatch and the fewer than 30 vessels participating in the fishery kill more dolphins, porpoises and whales than all other fisheries on the U.S. West Coast and Alaska combined. (click title to read more)