California Bill to Protect 30 Percent of Lands and Waters by 2030 Shelved for 2020
A broad coalition of recreational fishing and boating groups, including NMMA, successfully worked to protect recreational fishing access in California last week as the California Senate Appropriations Committee decided to hold what is known as Assembly Bill 3030 (AB3030). The bill is expected to be held for the remainder of the 2020 legislative session, which ends August 31.
AB3030 aimed to protect 30 percent of California’s lands and waters by 2030 yet unfortunately lacked clear language on what and how the protections would be put into place. NMMA and its coalition partners sought to amend the bill to provide more clarity, specifically as to whether recreational fishing and boating would be considered a compatible use in conservation zones. Due to the overall ambiguity of AB3030, it drew opposition not only from recreational boating and fishing but a variety of sectors including hunters, forestry, local governments, water districts, real estate and agriculture.
Protecting 30 percent of lands and waters is a global initiative known as 30x30 that is being discussed in the US at the national and state level. NMMA is a proponent of 30x30 given recreation’s critical role in ensuring sustainable waters. What’s more, the United Nations, which is helping drive the global 30x30 initiative, highlights recreational use as valuable to achieving 30x30’s key economic goals. Alongside coalition partners, including the American Sportfishing Association, Coastal Conservation Association of California, Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation and the Center for Sportfishing Policy, NMMA will continue elevating the important role of recreation within 30x30 as we work to advance safeguards for recreational fishing as ensure sustainable, recreational use of our public natural resources.
Contact NMMA's David Dickerson at [email protected] for more information.