NMMA Applauds Cassidy-Rubio Bill to Preserve State Fisheries Management Authority
A coalition of recreational fishing and boating organizations praised the introduction of a bipartisan bill, S. 2807, that will safeguard the role of state fisheries management agencies and help prevent unwarranted fishing closures like what recently occurred at Biscayne National Park. Led by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the “Preserving Public Access to Public Waters Act” requires the National Park Service to have approval from state fish and wildlife agencies before closing state marine or Great Lakes waters to recreational or commercial fishing.
Similar legislation to S. 2807 has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives as part of the Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act. The original House bill, H.R. 3310, is led by Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), and 35 other sponsors. A decision by the National Park Service in 2015 to implement a 10,000-acre marine reserve just outside of Miami, Fla., sparked significant opposition from the recreational fishing and boating community. Prior to that decision, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission continually expressed its position that the proposed marine reserve is overly restrictive to the public; will not be biologically effective; and that less restrictive management tools can rebuild the park’s fisheries resources and conserve habitat.
The recreational fishing and boating community echoed these concerns, but nevertheless the National Park Service ultimately elected to close nearly 40 percent of Biscayne National Park’s reef tract to fishing. The National Park Service’s decision to ignore the input of the state and force new fisheries regulations in states waters revealed a loophole in current law that could affect any state with coastal or Great Lakes waters that are managed by the National Park Service. This has prompted Congressional action to safeguard the ability of states to regulate fishing in state waters.
“The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) applauds the introduction of the Preserving Public Access to Public Waters Act in the Senate and the efforts of Senators Cassidy and Rubio to ensure robust access for boaters and anglers in U.S. National Parks,” said NMMA President Thom Dammrich. “This legislation would require cooperative decision making on fisheries policies in state waters, something that was lacking during the development of the Biscayne National Park general management plan. The boating industry continues to advocate for a balanced approach to access and conservation, cooperation amongst stakeholder groups and open dialogue during National Park management planning. We appreciate the Senators’ efforts to support these same goals.”