Gulf of Mexico Sportfishing Access Information

Click here for Updated Information on Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

Islands in the Stream
In 2007, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) developed a draft concept paper for creating a system of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Gulf of Mexico called Islands in the Stream. This proposal had the potential to create no-take MPAs in the Gulf, which would have closed areas to recreational fishing.

The proposal derived its name from a series of “island” MPAs scattered throughout the Gulf of Mexico and linked by the large ocean current known as the Loop Current. Some of the areas suggested included Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (NMS), NW Gulf Reefs and Banks, Madison Swanson, Florida Middle Grounds, Steamboat Lumps, Pulley Ridge and Florida Keys NMS. The initiative proposed an international network of MPAs with Mexico and Belize and would have established the largest and first ever internationally connected network of MPAs.

On September 26, 2008, President Bush signed an amendment to the 1995 Executive Order on recreational fishing. This amendment ensures that federal agencies must maintain recreational fishing on federal lands and waters, including marine protected areas. The Executive Order revises Executive Order 12962 signed in 1995 by President Bill Clinton.

Over the previous two years, the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the Center for Coastal Conservation, the Coastal Conservation Association, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the National Marine Manufacturers Association and Shimano American Corporation worked together to secure recreational fishing and boating access. President Bush’s amendment recognizes the marine and freshwater conservation impact of recreational anglers by allowing responsible recreational fishing and boating in marine protected areas and federal lands.

An August 25, Executive Memo signed by the President set the stage for the new Executive Order. The memo directed the Secretaries of Defense, Interior and Commerce and the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality to sustain access to recreational fishing as part of their study of potential marine protected areas (MPA) in the central Pacific Ocean. The president’s directive did not include the Gulf of Mexico or the south Atlantic as part of this MPA study, as MPAs in these regions could have a significant impacts on sportfishing. 

Background
The MPA precedent for the Gulf of Mexico and other widespread North American recreational fishing closures began with the recently established Papahānaumokuākea Hawaiian National Monument. Papahānaumokuākea covers 140,000 square miles of ocean—an area larger than 46 of the 48 continental states. This monument was established through Presidential action using the Antiquities Act which, by design, circumvents the public input process. Although recreational fishing in this area of the Northern Hawaiian Islands was already minimal because of its great distance from Hawaii’s main islands, the establishment of the monument included a complete closure to recreational fishing throughout the entire monument. This action set a precedent that ASA is highly concerned about.

The establishment process of Papahānaumokuākea could be detrimental to the sportfishing community as other MPA proposals emerge. By circumventing the public process in closing the monument to sportfishing, a precedent was set that could threaten sportfishing access when future MPA designations are made. The Hawaiian Monument has already been cited in new MPA proposals, including Islands in the Stream.

The MPA philosophy is being aggressively and successfully promoted to government and the public by well funded anti-use or preservation-oriented environmental groups. Their support for MPAs is rooted in ideology, not science.

Originally intended to protect sensitive habitat or restrict the impacts of destructive commercial fishing on a few species, MPAs have been expanded to now include restrictions for low impact recreational fishing on all species. They are being promoted as the new paradigm for fisheries management—circumventing the regional fishery management councils and proven fishery management measures. They also do not take into account that depressed fish stocks can be rebuilt through the traditional management measures provided under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act was reauthorized in 2006 and set strict rebuilding limits for overfished stocks. These restrictions have rebuilt or are in the process of rebuilding overfished stocks through constraining direct and incidental mortality, preventing overfishing, and achieving as much of the optimum yields as practicable. This is being achieved through commercial and recreational restrictions including cumulative trip limits, boat limits, size limits, season limits, bag limits, depth limits, hook limits, and gear requirements. The Gulf of Mexico’s most substantial restoration success is the Spanish mackerel, which was declared no longer overfished and classified as a sustainable fishery in 1998. Recreational restrictions on Spanish mackerel included a yearly quota, size limits, and bag limits.

Keep America Fishing’s Goal and Purpose for the Gulf of Mexico

Access to the resource is a critical element in having successful recreational fishing. Recreational anglers, and boaters, have always been in the forefront of fisheries conservation in the United States financing countless conservation and restoration projects through license fees, motorboat fuel taxes and the federal excise tax on fishing gear. Anglers and boaters, who shoulder most of the fisheries conservation efforts in this country, should not be penalized by arbitrary MPA designations. Thus, recreational fishing should be fully protected, and further promoted, in any MPA proposals.

The goal of the Gulf of Mexico’s sportfishing advocates and anglers is to maximize conservation of the marine environment while minimizing unwarranted ocean closures to sportfishing.

The purpose of pursuing this goal is to:

• Maintain and improve the conservation of the Gulf of Mexico marine fisheries and associated natural resources so as to improve the overall health of the ocean;
• Assure that the process for future MPA designations or closures relies on biological and economic information in a balanced fashion; and
• Increase sportfishing opportunities in the Gulf from their current economic and participation levels.

Gulf of Mexico Saltwater Recreational Fishing Facts

• $8.1 billion economic output
• $4.7 billion in retail sales
• Supports nearly 82,700 jobs
• Pays over $2.4 billion in salaries and wages
• Over 3.2 million saltwater anglers

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the sportfishing industry’s trade association, is working to ensure that anglers' and boaters' voices are heard as marine and aquatic management plans are developed. You can help ASA in its efforts to minimize recreational fishing closures by donating to the Keep America Fishing Fund.