Recreational Fishing at a Crossroads

Recreational Fishing at a Crossroads

There is a better way forward than continuing with failed approaches of the past

Saltwater recreational fishing is a favorite pastime of many Americans and is economically important to numerous coastal communities throughout the country. With more than 13 million saltwater anglers [PDF], recreational fishermen make up the vast majority of fishermen on the water. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), marine recreational fishing contributes more than 80 billion dollars annually to the U.S. economy.

EDF works for the future of recreational fishing

Today, recreational fishermen are concerned about the future of their favorite past time, including having continued access to fish and getting out on the water. EDF shares those concerns and believes that there are a few key ways to help ensure the future of recreational fishing.

One way is to update the current management system for regulating recreational fishing, with better scientific data and tools for keeping the amount of fish caught with its limits. Staying within annual catch limits is just as important for the recreational community as it is for the commercial community and the present system fails to ensure that that will happen. Currently, the recreation community often exceeds its fishing limits for various fisheries, which isn’t the fault of individual anglers, but is the result of an outdated management system that isn't up to today's challenges.

Another way of ensuring the future of all fisheries is by eliminating overfishing in the commercial sector, since it will lead to healthier fish populations and the potential for more fish in the future for everyone. The good news is that there are practical solutions to the overfishing problems for both the commercial and recreational fishing sectors.