Saltwater fishing bill advances

Leaders in the recreational fishing and boating community recently highlighted the progress in elevating the importance of saltwater recreational fishing in the nation’s primary law governing marine fisheries management. The House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources approved a bill (H.R. 1335), sponsored by Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which addresses top priorities of the recreational fishing community. The bill would establish a national policy for recreational fishing, adopt a revised approach to saltwater recreational fisheries management, and allocate marine fisheries for the greatest benefit to the nation, among other provisions.