Making Waves - Summer 2021

M A K I N G The Official Publication of the Recreational Fishing

SUMMER TOURNAMENT UPDATES

*Quest for the Ring Comes To Atlantic City *Manhattan Cup Warrior Tournament Recap *Bass River Classic Recap

Summer 2021

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PROUD SPONSOR

M A K I N G

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The Official Publication of the Recreational Fishing

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK

By Gary Caputi

INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Publisher’s

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he summer doldrums are upon us and we hope summer includes some fishing adventures for you to enjoy. Maybe a jaunt for bluefin tuna (see page 5) or a lazy day of drifting and dreaming for sharks (see page 10). Maybe you’re considering entering an offshore tournament for marlin (see page 16).

Guest Commentary: It Pays to Report Bluefin

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RFA Commentary: Should Makos get an ESA Listing?

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Regardless of the season, one thing remains true, the legislative and regulatory drum beat that rarely benefits and ofttimes plagues us as recreational fishermen never ceases. There’s plenty going on to keep abreast of and we offer some interesting reading on a variety of subjects in the following pages. The RFA never sleeps, always on guard to represent your interests as best we can in difficult times and we can always use more help in the form of individual and corporate members. The stronger the support, the louder our voices will be heard.

Quest for the Ring 16 comes to Atlantic City

About corporate sponsors, when you see ads in Making Waves those are companies that are as concerned about common sense conservation and the protection of your right to fish as you are, so we ask that when making a purchase you give those companies the consideration they are due. They are allies in the fight for the future of recreational fishing in saltwater, fellow warriors who take the work of the RFA seriously.

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Speaking of warriors, check out the recap of the RFA/FTC Manhattan Cup, a very special charity all-release striper tournament we put on to benefit American Heroes! The men and women who fight to protect our way of life.

20th Manhattan Cup Tournament Recap

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Bass River Classic Tournament Recap

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Using Science to Support Chesapeake Striped Bass

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ASMFC—MAFMC Approve Bluefish FMP

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Sargassum Out of Control

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Regulatory Updates: Proposed Changes to

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News & Views

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About the Cover

The FTC Manhattan Cup saw two 50-lb. bass caught and released this year.

Read more about it starting on page 22.

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Photo Courtesy: NBC 6 South Florida

Continued on page 8

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Guest Commentary

By Jim Hutchinson Former RFA Managing Director Editor - The Fisherman

When it comes to Bluefin Tuna IT PAYS TO REPORT

not being fully responsible in our duties.

Nick Cicero is a tackle designer/distributor,

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“

Filling out NOAA mandatory recreational catch reports for bluefin tuna is critical to maintaining and expanding the recreational catch quota today and in the future.

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Commentary

By John DePersenaire RFA Managing Director, Fisheries Specialist

MAKO SHARK ENDANGERED SPECIES LISTING IS NOT THE ANSWER The RFA’s Position on NGO Proposal

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Mako sharks are one of the few pelagic species available to small boat recreational fishermen that offers the excitement of blistering runs and high jumping acrobatics. To lose their availability to anglers due to an ESA listing at a time when encouraging signs of stock improvement are already on the horizon is an over-reaction.

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Coach Jimmy Johnson Brings the “Quest for the Ring” to Atlantic City $1 Million guaranteed purse tournament to include special Calcutta to benefit the Recreational Fishing Alliance

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ewly Inducted Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach, Coach Jimmy Johnson, is making his way up north for Summer 2021 to extend his world-class fishing tournament from South Florida to Atlantic City, NJ. Annually, Jimmy Johnson’s “Quest for the Ring” Championship Fishing Week, Florida (JJFISHWEEKFL) is hosted in March at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s Guitar Hotel with fishing happening across South Florida featuring renowned parties, a guaranteed $1 Million purse, and entry into Coach Johnson’s famed Ring of Honor, where an annual coveted championship ring is at stake. Coach Johnson has teamed up with the Atlantic City Sports Commission to add on to the series and bring this high stakes and overly entertaining competitive sportfishing experience to Atlantic City, July 12-17, 2021, hosted at the Frank S. Farley State Marina at Golden Nugget Casino, Hotel & Marina.

Another $1 Million Guaranteed Purse is up for grabs and as Coach Johnson always says, “COME & GET IT!” Jimmy Johnson’s Atlantic City ‘Quest for the Ring’ Championship Fishing Week (JJFISHWEEKAC) will celebrate the magic of Atlantic City as a destination tournament and will feature extreme competition and celebratory parties each night of the week for the teams and their guests and families.

When making your plans for next summer, think about all the fun guests JJFISHWEEKAC will have. The July 12-17, 2021 week will include a kick-off party at the Golden Nugget Hospitality Village, that will stay open all week long, 3-days of leave it out on the waters tournament competition, a charitable celebrity pro-am day, a team dine around night, where teams will select to dine at various official participating restaurants at select partner casinos around Atlantic City, an

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General Entry will start at $5,000 and be paid out 30% for White Marlin, 30% for Blue Marlin, 30% for Tuna, 5% for Wahoo, and 5% for Dolphin, each paying out top 2 places. Additional optional entries will include a White Marlin category, Blue Marlin category, Tuna category, and a Wahoo and Dolphin category, each paying out top 2 places and Daily optionals will be available for each species. The final optional entry category includes a Winner Take All, Catch & Release division, powered by Yamaha, where 90% will be paid out JJ Fish Week events draw a mix of boats including to the winner and 10% will be donated to support the many large center consoles, boat that have become Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). The Recreational Fishultimate gifting experience, where a wagon will ing Alliance was set up in 1996 to safeguard the be provided to help you roll out all the goods, rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and a closing awards bash not to be missed, host- and tackle industry jobs and ensure the longed by presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Hotel & Ca- term sustainability of U.S. saltwater fisheries. The sino Atlantic City, featuring a night of live entertainment and more to collect your checks and dance the night away.

Jimmy Johnson’s Atlantic City ‘Quest for the Ring’ Championship Fishing Week is brought to you in partnership with the Atlantic City Sports Commission, hosted at the Golden Nugget Casino, Hotel & Marina, presented by Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, powered by Contender Boats and Yamaha Outboards, and fueled by Papa’s Pilar Rum. The $1 Million Guaranteed Purse will be broken down into the following Large fish boats like Sandman have played a major role categories: in these events and won their share of rings.

One of the many highlights of a Quest for the Ring event are the parties held each night at host casinos and various venues. winner of the coveted Championship Rings will be the team who brings home the largest amount of the purse across all categories.

Additional hosting sponsors for the tournament include Garmin Marine, Oakley Eyewear, Seakeeper, Mahalo Spirits, to additionally include Treaty Oak and Waterloo Gin, Tunaskin Apparel, As Johnson stated at last year’s Closing Awards and Dennis Friel and Connected by Water, the Party in South Florida, “The best wasn’t the Super official tournament artist. To fish for the entire $1 Bowl, the best was not University of Miami, the Million Guaranteed Purse, across the board entry best is right now! These teams are part of THE will be $28,000, Hotel and slip accommodations BEST. We continue to grow each year and I am for the tournament will be available across Atlanthrilled to expand our exciting and competitive tic City at participating casinos and the marina. fishing tournament week up to one of my favor- The team at Fish Hard Events, the management ite destinations, Atlantic City, NJ. We look forteam behind JJFISHWEEK, will be available in the ward to seeing everyone in July and remember, tournament office to assist with booking.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE RING!” For more information, visit “We are thrilled to be partnering with Fish Hard www.questfortheringac.com or call 305-255Events to bring this world-class event to our sea- 3500. side destination,” said Larry Sieg, president and CEO of Meet AC and the Atlantic City Sports Com- Follow online for the most up to date information mission. “We are well positioned to host these on Facebook or Instagram, @jjfishweekac type of outdoor sporting events that encourage new visitation and increase economic impact to our destination.”

Q & A with Hall of Fame Coach and Fishing Fanatic Jimmy Johnson

RFA: What made you decide to get involved in high stakes fishing tournaments in the first place?

Coach Johnson: I’ve always loved fishing and when some of my old players presented me with the idea about doing a tournament, I wanted it to be the biggest and best and combine both of my passions, fishing and my championship football years. JJFISHWEEK started as a tournament in the Florida Keys, which is my home and my favorite place in the world and with the help from our friends at Seminole Hard Rock and my partners at Fish Hard Events, we’ve been able to take this tournament to new heights and change the way fishing tournaments were done. We wanted the big purse and the intense competition with the best, but we also wanted to make it fun and give the participants something they have never experienced before where you could bring

friends, clients, guests, your professional team and really enjoy a unique experience unlike any other tournament with the entertainment, in addition to going up against some of the best in the fishing world. We added in the championship ring to celebrate my wins in football and now, these guys get entry into my Ring of Honor and one of my coveted championship rings and the journey is incredible to follow the best in the industry working hard to get their honor and title.

RFA: What made you decide to expand your already popular and successful tournament series north to Atlantic City?

With the success of JJFISHWEEK South Florida, we wanted to find another destination with the same talent, but we also wanted to provide that same experience of a destination tournament for

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teams to come with their guests and make a week out of it. They call Atlantic City, America’s Playground, and it was prime for a fishing tournament with the big marina and the great casino partners, we were filling a gap in the northeast area to bring another major tournament to the summer circuit. Tod Roy and the team at Fish Hard Events brought the idea up to the Atlantic City Sports Commission along with Golden Nugget who manages the marina and then of course Hard Rock Atlantic City who recently opened their new property there, and with the city and partners on board, we decided to bring the show on the road and we couldn’t be more excited to bring our tournament concept up to such an iconic destination. We will hit the waters with all the top anglers in the Northeast and then entertain them with the help of so many partners throughout the area and it will grow every year as a not to be missed summer experience for friends, families, and all participants.

Making Waves Summer 2021

of saltwater fisheries.

RFA: Looking toward the future do you expect to see this new event grow into an important part of both the Quest series and offshore tournaments in the Mid-Atlantic area?

We have been producing JJFISHWEEK in South Florida for 10 years and it has now been coined as the Super Bowl of sportfishing for Florida and we hope to bring this up to Atlantic City for many years to come and be a not to be missed tournament for the Northeast summer fishing circuit.

With all the parties and the gifting and the purse continuing the rise with the base as the largest guaranteed purse in the world, we are joining a group of incredible life long tournaments in the Mid-Atlantic area and we can’t wait to become a staple as theirs are as the years continue and our fleet continues to grow annually. JJFISHWEEK is just getting started. We are bringing some incredRFA: Bringing the Quest to New Jersey, ible partners of ours to the area, to include our home base of the Recreational Fishing long time partners at Contender Boats who Alliance, we understand that there will helped us start this tournament and others, to put be a special Calcutta category that will on this fantastic event along with another $1Million guaranteed purse with the increase in benefit the RFA. Can you tell us more payouts based on the number of entries we have about it? so its only going to get bigger each year. We Thanks to our presenting sponsors, Yamaha Out- have 66 boats registered as of today and one boards, we are excited to have a big Catch & Re- month to go so should be a great inaugural year July 12-17, plus it’s my birthday week so time to lease Calcutta category that is included in the celebrate! tournament entry options that will benefit the RFA. This was very important to our team beRFA: Is there anything else you would cause we want to continue to support the great work you all are doing and showcase our support like to tell RFA members leading up to of anglers rights and responsible conservation of the event? our waters. Down in South Florida, JJFISHWEEK Come fight for your RING! You don’t want to miss is a Catch & Release tournament and a responsi- it. Visit www.jjfishweek.com for more info and we bly produced meat fish tournament within the will see you in AC in July! tournament week and we wanted to be able to RFA: Thank you for time Coach. We will continue that recipe up here and showcase the great work you are doing to protect responsibility be looking forward to seeing you in Atwhen fishing and responsible access to the fishlantic City for the big event. ery while promoting the long term sustainability

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THE 20TH MANHATTAN CUP A Great Event to Benefit American Heroes

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fter a forced cancelation in 2020, the Manhattan Cup came roaring back for its 20th Anniversary at Liberty Landing Marina on the Hudson River opposite the New York City skyline. This unique charitable event is held to honor American heroes, the men and women who have put their lives on the line to fight our nation’s enemies.

Many of them suffer from the physical and psychological effects of combat and are prone to depression and even suicide months or years after returning from service. Twenty-two transitioning warriors take their own lives each day, a frightening statistic, and our desire is to open new channels of hope through fishing.

and Iraq were joined by a handful of Viet Nam era service members to fish and compete as our guests and to spend time with captains and fellow anglers, many of whom donated their boats and services for the day.

The tournament, with presenting sponsor Yamaha Outboards, kicked off with a breakfast where captains, anglers and warriors met and organized into teams over a buffet breakfast. A brief cap-

“The goal of the tournament is to use fishing as a force for good,” says Captain Frank Crescitelli, one of the founders of the event and tournament co-chairman along with angler and journalist Gary Caputi. This year 30 warriors, Capt. Frank Crescitelli was tournament co-director, but also fished the event most back from recent defrom his Blue Wave bay boat guiding celebrity angler Oliver Nyg and Riley to ployments in Afghanistan great fishing. Also aboard, Paul Bourcq won the largest striper on a lure.

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tain’s meeting was held before the teams boarded their boats for the shotgun start in front of the Statue of Liberty. The fishing throughout the day was nothing short of spectacular with the waters of Raritan Bay and the New York Bight offering up remarkable fishing with over 160 bass and bluefish caught and released. With conservation the watchword of this all-release tournament, many of the teams were inserting Gray FishTag Research tags in their fish before returning them to Capt. Cole Svenson guided his crew aboard the Cheap Shot to the second the water. Each fish was carelargest bass of the tournament, a 50-pound beauty that, like all the fish fully measured, and all winning caught, was released. fish were determined by the accepted calculations using length and girth the trophy and cup winners is located below. measurements accompanied by photo verificaThe awards dinner saw upwards of 200 people tion to determine weight. filling the room at the Liberty House Restaurant If the numbers of fish caught was not amazing enough, two enormous stripers of over 50 pounds were caught and released in addition to several in the 30 and 40-pound class. When all was said and done, Jersey Devil with Captain Brian Rice at the helm repeated their win of the Manhattan Cup in 2019 with a 52.80-pound striped bass taken on a live eel by warrior angler Richard Torres. The fish also captured the Msgt.

Christopher J. Raguso Memorial Trophy presented for the largest striped bass caught by a warrior. Also aboard the Jersey Devil was the NFL’s Clark Harris, center for the Cincinnati Bengals, who won the celebrity striped bass award with a 49.24-pound fish.

Jim O’Sullivan fishing aboard Captain Cole Svenson’s Cheap Shot boated the second largest striped bass of the tournament, a 50.11-pound monster that also ate a live eel. A complete list of

where they shared a wonderful meal, fish tales and plenty of opportunities to win raffle and auction items ranging from charter trips on the Tuna.com and Fishin’Frenzy to a full electronics package courtesy of Raymarine.

Matthew Braiotta, the Assistant Director of the Veterans Benefits Administration NY regional office not only attended the dinner but competed in the tournament alongside his brothers in arms, addressed the audience about his first experience at the Manhattan Cup. In a subsequent email to the tournament organizers, he wrote:

“Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this amazing event as it was life changing for me.

I have not felt this connected with my fellow veterans in a long, long time. I want to personally thank you all for the work and dedication you have for our nation’s veterans and for me as well.

Your extraordinary efforts in putting this event

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him when he first fished in the tournament in 2013.

The applause and the level of appreciation from everyone in the room for these brave American heroes was an emotional, heartfelt tribute.

Everyone involved in putting on the Manhattan Cup felt honored to be able to do our small part to recognize and assist the bravest and most deserving among us, the warriors who sacrificed for our nation and its citizens. From our small team of dedicated individuals who organize and run the event, we want to thank all of the captains who donated their boats and services for the day, the anglers who fished with us in the Sportsman Division, our sponsors without whom we could not put on the tournament and our hosts at Liberty Landing Marina and the Liberty House Restaurant, we would like to say thank you and we hope to see you again next year.

Team Jersey Devil reprised their Manhattan Cup win from 2019 with another big win.

They took home the Cup along with the Christopher J. Raguso Memorial Trophy for the largest bass caught and released by a vet, Rich Torres with a 52.8 pound bass. In addition, Clark Harris of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals won the Celebrity trophy with a 48 pound bass. The team (R-L) USAF veteran Rich Torres, Capt. Brian Rice, Clark Harris, Jim Hutchinson and Paul Eulner a.k.a. Walnuts, the boat’s mate extraordinaire!

together personally impacted my life and renewed my spirit to go above and beyond for our veterans. Thank you again for the community that you all built and let me know how I can support and serve this noble cause in the future.”

The emotions ran high as Frank Crescitelli announced a special presentation, a beautiful rod and reel outfit valued at over $300 given to each of the warriors in attendance so they can carry on their fishing experiences well after the tournament. The rods and reels were donated through the generosity of Bob Feldsott, president of Tsunami Awesome Tackle. Then Manhattan Cup Warrior Liaison, Sgt. Robert Gil addressed the crowd with an emotional salute to his fellow veterans and his sincere wishes that their introduction to fishing would help carry them through their trials in returning to civilian life as it did for

For more information go to www.manhattancup.com. If you would like to be involved in the 21st Manhattan Cup please contact John DePersenaire at 609-294-3810 or Gary Caputi at 732-740-9982.

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Recap of the 2021 Bass River Classic

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fter a year off in 2019 due COVID and restrictions on gatherings, the Bass River Classic presented by Barlow Chevrolet/GMC, Ocean First Bank and Amon Construction was held on June 5, 2021. A local south Jersey favorite held at the Viking Yachting Center and currently in its 9th year, the Classic included a field of 55 teams vying for $10,000 in cash prizes for bringing the biggest summer flounder to the scale. The tournament is produced by and the proceeds benefit the Recreational Fishing Alliance and PBA Local 295.

Flounder youth award with a 2.48lb fluke.

The RFA and PBA 295 want to thank all the sponsors who made the 9th Annual Bass River Classic possible; The Fisherman Magazine and its New Jersey/Delaware Bay Editor Jim Hutchinson who served as the Bass River Classic Emcee, Valhalla Boat Sales, Contender Boats, Yamaha, SS Bucktails, Bimini Bay Outfitters, and Tsunami Tackle.

While it was great to hold the event this year and see all the teams who have been fishing the Bass River Classic the past 9 years, the tournament was Despite a slow bite and tough fishing conditions, held on a smaller scale with a minimized captains’ 78 summer flounder were weighed in at the one meeting, no raffle and a scaled back awards dinday tournament. When the weights were tallied, ner. With restrictions lifting and businesses operPhillip Natale on the Philaay, fishing with Stan Go- ating at full capacity, we hope to return the event la and the SS Bucktails team came out as the top to the scale seen in previous years in 2022. We boat. Winning first place with a two fish weight look forward to seeing everyone next year. of 10.61lbs, the Big Bag Calcutta for a 3 fish weight of 13.95lbs and the Doormat Calcutta for a 6.15lb fluke. The Philaay team also took home the $1,000 prize sponsored by Yamaha for landing the weighest summer flounder by an RFA member.

Second place went to Matt Sorrentino, who took first place in 2019, on the Flounder Wet Spot with a two fish total of 9.3lbs. Third place went to John Daunoras on the Little Johnny with a 9.13 lbs two-fish total. The John E. Roberts award went to Rich Michele on the Quality Time for landing a fluke closest to 4lbs, 4 ounces.

Top youth anglers included Jack Rawa on Kathleen for a 3.31lb clearnose skate to bring Phil Natale and Stan Gola with Team S&S Bucktails home the Junk Fish Award. took the event with the largest fluke a 6.15 pounder.

Riley Miller on the Miller Girls took the Biggest Summer

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Using Science to Support Chesapeake Stripers

by Frank Sargeant Reprinted from The Fishing Wire

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Changes implemented by Maryland and Virginia in 2019 continue in 2021. This is part of a broader effort to help the striped bass population rebound.

But this year, the spring season was a bit diminished in the Chesapeake with a later start, and fewer days than has been the case in the past.

Reports from anglers and fishermen and scientific data both indicate that the population is declining. Analyses by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission show that the striped bass population along the Atlantic Coast is decreasing. Eve-

eading out on the Chesapeake Bay for trophy rockfish season is a treasured rite of spring for recreational anglers. In the Chesapeake, fishermen often call striped bass “rockfish” because these fish often hang out near oyster reef “rocks.”

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ry year, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources reports on the species by tracking an index of juvenile striped bass. The survey was started in 1954. Since then, the average index is 11.5 (arithmetic mean catch per haul); the index in fall 2020 was 2.5. In the last decade, six years have been below average. That means there are fewer fish to grow into the spawning stock.

Striped bass spawning begins in the spring. Chesapeake Bay spawning and nursery areas, like the Potomac, Choptank, and James rivers and Susquehanna Flats, produce most of the East Coast’s migratory striped bass. (The Delaware River and Hudson River also contribute significantly.) Conservation efforts in the Chesapeake can help the entire East Coast population.

This graph, from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, tracks the annual juvenile striped bass index from 1954 through 2020.

States are exploring other scientifically supported ways to help the population. For example, this year in Maryland, July 16–31, anglers are prohibited from targeting striped bass. That’s because at that time of year, air and water temperatures are high and oxygen levels in the water are often low.

Even when released, fish that are caught in those conditions are stressed and often do not survive. Virginia does not have a summer season in the Bay.

The striped bass population was extremely low in the 1980s. A complete moratorium on both commercial and recreational fishing for rockfish was enacted to let the population rebound. So now, resource managers are taking proactive measures to protect the population. This is especially important in the Chesapeake, because up to 80% of the coastal The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission keeps an eye on the overall Atlantic striped bass population is spawned in the Bay’s tributaries. population. In 2019, the Commission determined 2021 Spring Rockfish Seasons Changed that striped bass had been overfished in recent years. In response to that determination, they imWhat that means for recreational anglers is that the start to the trophy season this year was about plemented an 18 percent reduction in striped two weeks later than usual. Trophy season start- bass harvest beginning in 2020. States up and ed in Maryland waters May 1, and Maryland did down the East Coast maintain their own fishing not allow targeting of striped bass at all in April— regulations for the species, within the framework set by the Commission. In the Chesapeake Bay, not even for catch and release. Virginia did not have a trophy season this spring; a season for fish Maryland and Virginia set specific regulations for recreational and commercial fishing for striped from 20 to 28 inches in the Bay started May 16. bass in their waters that meet the Commission’s

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Atlantic Region, we are funding Chesapeake Bayspecific population studies on striped bass. ReWe help make sure that resource managers in search by the University of Maryland Center for Maryland and Virginia have the most up-to-date Environmental Science and Virginia Institute of science to help them as they make their decisions. Marine Science will improve understanding of And we help them work together by facilitating Chesapeake Bay status and trends and help idenconversations at the Chesapeake Bay Program’s tify what drives population changes. Factors that Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team. affect striped bass can include environmental NOAA Fisheries Science Efforts on Striped changes, land use, and human activities. This year, the project will explore ways to combine daBass ta from fisheries, scientific surveys, and tagging studies. This will help us better understand At NOAA Fisheries, we’re helping with research changes in the striped bass population in the to find out more about what may be affecting Chesapeake Bay and coastwide. striped bass numbers. We want to help the striped bass population return to a healthy state.

Fish Tracking Commercial fishing for striped bass is important because it helps feed people and supports liveliThis year, we will partner with the Virginia Marine hoods and industry. Recreational fishing for these Resources Commission and Maryland Departfish is a treasured activity for many Chesapeake ment of Natural Resources to deploy two arrays residents and visitors. We’re using science to learn of acoustic telemetry receivers. One will cross the more about the species, where they live, and mouth of the Bay; the other will be near the Cheswhat they need to thrive. apeake Bay Bridge near Annapolis. These receivers will let researchers know when fish that have Migration special tags attached to them swim near the receiver arrays. That helps researchers learn more We fund scientists to carry out research into about when and where fish migrate. when and where striped bass migrate. This can help resource managers do a more accurate job Foraging when they set regulations that are area or timespecific.

We also support researchers who are learning more about the food striped bass need to grow Nursery Habitats and survive. For example, we are working on understanding the Chesapeake Bay’s forage base.

Scientists are studying the nursery habitats that We are also developing ways to track the health juvenile striped bass need to survive and grow.

The Chesapeake Bay Program is funding the Vir- of Bay anchovy and polychaetes (worms), which ginia Institute of Marine Science to investigate this striped bass eat. topic. The project is using data from Maryland and Virginia that was gathered during seine surveys about juvenile striped bass. They are also using information from trawl surveys including the Chesapeake Multispecies Monitoring and Assessment Program survey. Data from these surveys helps scientists identify and map where highquality habitats are located around the Bay to inform restoration, conservation, and management decisions. targets.

Population Studies Through the Cooperative Institute for the North

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MAFMC and ASMFC Approve Bluefish Rebuilding Plan and Revised Allocations

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he Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Bluefish Management Board (Board) jointly recommended approval of the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment.

The Amendment updates the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) goals and objectives, initiates a rebuilding plan, establishes new allocations between the commercial and recreational sectors, implements new commercial allocations to the states, revises the process for quota transfers between sectors, and revises how the management plan accounts for management uncertainty.

The Council and Board initiated the Amendment in December 2017 to consider revisions to the commercial and recreational fisheries allocations and the state-specific commercial allocations. In 2019, an operational stock assessment for bluefish indicated the stock was overfished, and the Council and Board subsequently decided to incorporate the rebuilding plan in the Amendment.

proach and is projected to rebuild the stock in 7 years. Rebuilding progress will be analyzed through management track stock assessments every two years. The management track assessment scheduled for later this month will be the first step in informing specifications for the 20222023 fishing years.

The revised sector allocations increase the recreational allocation from 83% to 86% of the acceptable biological catch and decrease the commercial allocation from 17% to 14%. The Council and Board used catch data from 1981-2018 as the basis for sector allocations since it more accurately captures the cyclical nature of the fishery, while providing each sector with sufficient access to the resource considering historical usage.

The Council and Board based state commercial allocations on more recent data to improve efficiency within the commercial fishery and better reflect the current distribution of the stock. As such, the Amendment allocates a baseline quota During their joint meeting last week, the Council of 0.1% to each state, and then allocates the rest and Board reviewed a summary of the five virtual of the commercial quota based on landings data hearings and written comments submitted by from 2009 to 2018 (see Table 1 below). Recogniz378 individuals and organizations, in addition to ing that several states will be losing quota during the recommendations of their joint Advisory Pan- a time when the coastwide commercial quota is already at an historic low, the Council and Board el. decided to phase-in the allocation changes over 7 After weighing the pros and cons of shorter and years in order to reduce short-term economic imlonger rebuilding plan timeframes, the Council pacts to the affected commercial fishing industry. and Board ultimately selected the rebuilding plan The Council and Board also committed to reviewwhich utilizes a constant fishing mortality aping the approved state allocations within 5 years.

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Table 1. Revised state allocation percentages of the bluefish commercial quota based on 20092018 landings data with a minimum default allocation of 0.1%. Previous allocations are provided for comparison purposes.

The Amendment also updates the sector transfer process to allow for quota transfers in either direction between the commercial and recreational sectors. Previously, quota could only be transferred from the recreational sector to the commercial fishery. The transfers will now be capped at 10% of the acceptable biological catch for a given year.

mended approval of the Amendment to NOAA Fisheries for final consideration and implementation. The Commission will consider final approval of the Amendment at its August meeting.

Finally, the Amendment modified the management uncertainty tool within the FMP to a sectorspecific approach. It allows the Council and Board to apply a buffer to either sector, in the form of a quota reduction, to account for management uncertainty during specifications. While this tool has not been used often, the modified approach allows managers to better target areas of uncertainty within one sector without reducing the quota or harvest limit in the other sector.

Contacts

As next steps, the Council will forward its recom-

Please visit the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment page for amendment documents and related information.

For questions or more information about this action, contact either:

Matthew Seeley, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, mseeley@mafmc.org, 302-5265262 Dustin Colson Leaning, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, dleaning@asmfc.org, 703842-0714

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by Florida Atlantic University A photo taken recently shows Sargassum piled up on a beach in Palm Beach County, Florida. Credit: Brian Lapointe, Ph.D. For centuries, pelagic Sargassum, floating brown seaweed, have grown in low nutrient waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, supported by natural nutrient sources like excretions from fishes and invertebrates, upwelling and nitrogen fixation.

Using a unique historical baseline from the 1980s and comparing it to samples collected since 2010, researchers from Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and collaborators have discovered dramatic changes in the chemistry and composition of Sargassum, transforming this vibrant living organism into a toxic "dead zone."

Their findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest that increased nitrogen availability from natural and anthropogenic sources, including sewage, is supporting blooms of Sargassum and turning a critical nursery habitat into harmful algal blooms with catastrophic impacts on

coastal ecosystems, economies, and human health. Globally, harmful algal blooms are related to increased nutrient pollution.

The study, led by FAU Harbor Branch, in collaboration with the University of South Florida, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the University of Southern Mississippi, and Florida State University, was designed to better understand the effects of nitrogen and phosphorus supply on Sargassum. Researchers used a baseline tissue data set of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and molar C:N:P ratios from the 1980s and compared them with more recent samples collected since 2010.

Results show that the percentage of tissue N increased significantly (35 percent) concurrent with a decrease in the percentage of phosphorus (42 percent) in Sargassum tissue from the 1980s

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to the 2010s. Elemental composition varied significantly over the long-term study, as did the C:N:P ratios. Notably, the biggest change was the nitrogen:phosphorus ratio (N:P), which increased significantly (111 percent). Carbon:phosphorus ratios (C:P) also increased similarly (78 percent).

Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. The lowest N:P ratios were observed in the eastern Caribbean at St. Thomas (20.9) and Barbados (13.0).

"Data from our study supports not only a primary role for phosphorus limitation of productivity, but also suggests that the role of phosphorus as a limiting nutrient is being strengthened by the relatively large increases in environmental nitrogen supply from terrestrial runoff, atmospheric inputs, and possibly other natural sources such as nitrogen fixation," said Brian Lapointe, Ph.D., senior author, a leading expert on Sargassum and a research professor at FAU Harbor Branch.

pert on Sargassum and a research professor at FAU Harbor Branch, emerges from Sargassum at Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys in 2014.

Credit: Tanju Mishara

Because of anthropogenic emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), the NOx deposition rate is about five-fold greater than that of pre-industrial times largely due to energy production and biomass % buffered00:00 burning. Production of synthetic fertilizer nitro01:10 gen has increased nine-fold, while that of phosSargassum, floating brown seaweed, have grown phate has increased three-fold since the 1980s contributing to a global increase in N:P ratios. Noin low nutrient waters of the North Atlantic tably, 85 percent of all synthetic nitrogen fertilizOcean for centuries. Scientists have discovered dramatic changes in the chemistry and composi- ers have been created since 1985, which was tion of Sargassum, transforming this vibrant living shortly after the baseline Sargassum sampling began at Looe Key in 1983. organism into a toxic "dead zone." Credit: Brian Lapointe, Ph.D. Brian Lapointe, Ph.D., senior author, a leading ex-

"Over its broad distribution, the newly-formed Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt can be supported by nitrogen and phosphorus inputs from a variety of sources including discharges from the Congo, Amazon and Mississippi rivers, upwelling off the coast of Africa, vertical mixing, equatorial A total of 488 tissue samples of Sargassum were upwelling, atmospheric deposition from Saharan dust, and biomass burning of vegetation in cencollected during various research projects and cruises in the North Atlantic basin between 1983- tral and South Africa," said Lapointe.

1989 and more recently between 2010-2019, Long-term satellite data, numerical particleand included seasonal sampling offshore Looe tracking models, and field measurements indicate Key reef in the lower Florida Keys (1983 and that the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has re1984) and a broader geographic sampling (1986 curred annually since 2011 and extended up to and 1987) offshore the Florida Keys, Gulf Stream 8,850 kilometers from the west coast of Africa to (Miami, Charleston and Cape Fear), and Belize, the Gulf of Mexico, peaking in July 2018.

Central America. Oceanic stations included the "Considering the negative effects that the Great northern, central and southern Sargasso Sea. Atlantic Sargassum Belt is having on the coastal The highest percentage of tissue N occurred in communities of Africa, the Caribbean, Gulf of coastal waters influenced by nitrogen-rich terres- Mexico and South Florida, more research is urtrial runoff, while lower C:N and C:P ratios ocgently needed to better inform societal decisioncurred in winter and spring during peak river dis- making regarding mitigation and adaptation of charges. The overall range for N:P ratios was 4.7 the various terrestrial, oceanic, and atmospheric to 99.2 with the highest mean value in western drivers of the Sargassum blooms," said Lapointe.

Florida Bay (89.4) followed by locations in the

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Sargassum removal from Texas beaches during earlier, less severe inundations was estimated at $2.9 million per year and Florida's Miami-Dade County alone estimated recent removal expenses of $45 million per year. The Caribbean-wide clean-up in 2018 cost $120 million, which does not include decreased revenues from lost tourism.

Sargassum strandings also impact marine life and cause respiratory issues from the decaying process and other human health concerns, such as increased fecal bacteria.

"Human activities have greatly altered global carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles, and nitrogen inputs are considered now 'high risk' and

Making Waves Summer 2021

above a safe planetary boundary," said Lapointe.

"Based on scientific research, population growth and land-use changes have increased nitrogen pollution and degradation of estuaries and coastal waters since at least the 1950s. Despite decreases in nitrogen loading in some coastal watersheds, N:P ratios remain elevated in many rivers compared to historic values. The trend toward higher N:P ratios in the major rivers in the Atlantic basin parallel the increased N:P ratios we now see in Sargasum."

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Regulatory Updates Management Plans and Recreational Specification Changes to Watch

ASFMC Atlantic Striped Bass Board Continues to Move Forward on Development of Draft Amendment 7 The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board met to review public comments and Advisory Panel (AP) recommendations on the Public Information Document for Draft Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP), and provide guidance on which issues to include in the Draft Amendment. The purpose of the amendment is to update the management program in order to reflect current fishery needs and priorities given the status and understanding of the resource and fishery has changed considerably since implementation of Amendment 6 in 2003. The Board intends for the amendment to build upon the Addendum VI (2019) action to end overfishing and initiate rebuilding.

Prior to the Board’s deliberations, Commission Chair Patrick Keliher provided opening remarks urging the Board to take action to address the downward trend of the Commission’s flagship species. He stated, “While we are not at the point we were in 1984, the downward trend of this stock is evident in the assessment. For many of the Commission’s species, we are no longer in a position to hold hope that things will revert to what they have previously been if we just hold static. The change is happening too fast and action needs to be taken.” He further requested the Board to consider “what is best for this spe-

cies, and also what is best for the future of the Commission.”

After its review of the AP report, input received at the 11 virtual public hearings (targeting stakeholders from Maine to Virginia), and the more than 3,000 submitted comments, the Board approved the following issues for development in Draft Amendment 7: recreational release mortality, conservation equivalency, management triggers, and measures to protect the 2015 year class.

These issues were identified during the public comment period as critically important to help rebuild the stock and update the management program. In its deliberations, the Board emphasized the need to take focused and meaningful actions to address the declining stock and allow for the expedient development and implementation of the amendment.

While the coastal commercial quota allocation issue will not be included for further consideration in the Draft Amendment, the Board requested staff from the Commission and the State of Delaware prepare background information, options, and timelines for possible inclusion in a separate management document.

The remaining issues that will not be developed as part of the amendment will remain unchanged from current management measures. However, they can be included in the adaptive management section of Draft Amendment 7 and addressed in a separate management document following approval of the final amendment.

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As the next step in the amendment process, the Plan Development Team (PDT) will develop options for the four issues approved by the Board for inclusion in Draft Amendment 7.

The Board will meet again during the Commission’s Summer Meeting in August to review the PDT’s progress on the Draft Amendment and recommend any further changes to the document. Based on progress made on the Draft Amendment, the Board’s next opportunity to meet and consider possible approval of the document for public comment will be in October during the Commission’s Annual Meeting.

For more information, please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at efranke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

NOAA Enforcement Continues Fight against Illegal, Unreported & Unregulated Fishing June 07, 2021 This

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NEWS & VIEWS companion bill S.1995. The legislation is anticipated to be incorporated into a larger transportation bill.

“H.R. 3702 builds on many years of success,” said BoatUS Manager of Government Affairs David Kennedy. “It continues to support infrastructure grants, the Clean Vessel Act, and U.S. Coast Guard and local Just-introduced bill earns bipartisan support boating safety programs. However, it also addresses WASHINGTON, June 10, 2021 – A bill introduced to- some new challenges we face as more folks head to day that provides critical funding for conservation, the water, such as what to do with end-of-life-cycle fisheries research, habitat restoration, and recreation- recreational vessels and how to equitably fund wateral boating access and safety also offers new proviway access points. We look forward to its passage.” sions to help meet the future needs of anglers and Since its enactment in 1950, the Trust Fund has proboaters. The Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boat- vided more than $38 billion in funding for state-based ing Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act (H.R. 3702) conservation programs, recreational boating access aims to reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and and safety, aquatic resources education, and fisheries Boating Safety Trust Fund, one of the most successful management and restoration. (Courtesy: BoatUS “user pay – public benefits” federal funding programs that relies on excise taxes paid on fishing and boating equipment as well as motorboat fuel taxes to support Oregon Rockfish Species that Must angling and boating programs.

Of several new provisions to the bill, the first is an ef- be Released Starting June 1 fort to address the derelict vessel challenge which also includes the promotion of boat recycling programs. The second is to examine the growing use of nonmotorized vessels on all types of waterway access and the resultant user conflicts and potential for increased boating accidents and fatalities.

The bill also gives the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service more flexibility to effectively administer the Sport Fish Restoration fund programs, such as the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program that grows the availability of safe and protected harborage for transient boaters.

The nation’s advocacy, services and safety group for recreational boat owners, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), thanks bill sponsor Rep. Debbie Dingel (D-MI) and Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) for introducing the legislation, and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) for the

Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety and Wildlife Restoration Act Adapts to Future

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NEWPORT, Ore – Beginning June 1, retention of copper, quillback, and China rockfish when fishing from a boat is prohibited during the recreational sport bottomfishing season. This temporary restriction is needed to remain under Oregon’s recreational harvest quota for nearshore rockfish.

Catching these fish from shore is infrequent, contributing a very small amount of mortality and is excluded from the retention closure, although ODFW encourages releasing these fish uninjured.

economy is as a driver of jobs, innovation and economic growth,” said Ben Friedman, acting NOAA administrator. “This information will assist our nation’s economic recovery by helping policymakers, industry advocates, and organizations track and accelerate investments in target markets.”

For these statistics, experts from NOAA and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) described 10 sectors representing businesses dependent on the nation’s oceans, coasts and Great Lakes between the years 2014 and 2019. Marine-related gross domestic prodA group of 11 nearshore rockfish species are managed together, and copper, quillback, and China rock- uct grew 4.2% from 2018 to 2019, faster than the 2.2% growth of the total U.S. gross domestic product fish are the most commonly caught (and relatively easily identified), representing 98 percent of the total as measured in inflation-adjusted dollars. Businesses included in the report also generated a total of $665.7 catch of the group. Other species in this group, including brown and gopher rockfish, are rarely caught billion in sales and supported 2.4 million jobs in 2019. and are not affected by the retention closure.

The 10 sectors ranked by their sales are: Saltwater anglers are reminded the general marine fish daily bag limit is five fish per angler per day and • Tourism and recreation, including recreational the cabezon daily sub-bag limit is one; cabezon seafishing ($235 billion) son begins July 1. The lingcod daily bag limit is two • National defense and public administration ($180 fish (22-inch minimum length) and is separate from billion) the general marine fish daily bag limit.

Use of a descending device to release rockfish is required when fishing outside of 30 fathoms and is recommended at any depth for fish that are not able to submerge on their own.

Information is available online for recreational bottomfish seasons, along with rockfish identification tips and an ID quiz.

Marine Economy in 2019 Outpaced U.S. Economy Overall America’s marine economy contributed about $397 billion to the nation’s gross domestic product in 2019 and grew faster than the nation’s economy as a whole, according to the most current results of the first official Marine Economy Satellite Account released today by two Department of Commerce agencies.

“America’s strong marine economy is absolutely vital for building back better,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “President Biden sees the immense value and potential of strengthening America’s blue economy, and this administration will continue to take actions to combat the climate crisis, conserve our oceans, and protect our coastal communities.”

“These statistics show how powerful America’s blue

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Offshore minerals ($93 billion)

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Transportation and warehousing ($64 billion)

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Commercial Ship and boat building ($31 billion)

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Living resources, including commercial fishing and aquaculture ($27 billion)

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Utilities ($12 billion)

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Research and education ($10.4 billion)

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Construction ($7.0 billion)

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Professional and technical services ($6.3 billion)

“These statistics are further proof that our waters are vital for America’s economy,” said Nicole LeBoeuf, acting director of NOAA’s National Ocean Service. “It is nearly impossible to go a single day without eating, wearing, or using items that come from or through our ports and coastal communities.”

Last year, NOAA and BEA released the Ocean Economy Prototype statistics which covered 2014-2018 and were the most comprehensive measurement of the marine economy at the time. This year’s statistics offer improved national estimates for ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes-related economic activity by major sector,

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accounting for inflation. The data, report and other materials are available at Marine Economy | US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and on NOAA’s Digital Coast website. Send any comments or questions to MarineEconomy@noaa.gov.

Reel Progress for Recreational Fishing: National Fishing and Boating Week 2021 Hello to the 2021 fishing season—we’re glad you’re here!

Whether it

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Chairman Robert T. Healey Jr. Treasurer John Kasinski Board Members Bob Healey, Sr. Pat Healey Nick Cicero Mike Leech Nate Odum Andrew Semprevivo Tony Novelli Jim Motsko Mark Odom Carl T. Huffman Bob Flocken Martin Peters Bob Shomo Jr. Andy Dormois

Viking Group Viking Yacht Company Viking Yacht Company Viking Yacht Company Folsom Corporation World Cup Blue Marlin Tournament Mexico Beach Marina & Outfitters Seakeeper, Inc. Contender Boats Ocean City White Marlin Open Main Street Properties Elec-Tra-Mate, Inc Hi-Liner/Diamond Fishing Products Yamaha Marine Group Johnson and Towers Inc AmeraTrail Trailers

M A K I N G

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Th e Of fi ci al Pu bl ic at io n o f t he R ec re at ion al Fi sh in g Al -

The RFA Mission Safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers Protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs Ensure the long-term sustainability of our nation’s fisheries.

Anti-fishing groups and radical environmentalists are pushing their agenda on marine fisheries issues affecting you. The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is in the trenches too, lobbying, educating decision makers and ensuring that the interests of America’s coastal fishermen are being heard loud and clear. Incorporated in 1996 as a 501c4 national, grassroots political action organization, RFA represents recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues on every coast, with state chapters established to spearhead the regional issues while building local support.

“The biggest challenge we face is the fight to reform and bring common sense and sound science into the fisheries management process," says James Donofrio, RFA founder and Executive Director.

“Anti-fishing and extreme environmental groups are working everyday to get us off the water.” Despite the threats to diminish access to our nation’s resources, Donofrio says that RFA offers members hope in an organization that’s designed from the ground up to fight back. “As individuals, our concerns will simply not be heard; but as a united group, we can and do stand up to anyone who

The Recreational Fishing Alliance Headquarters P.O. Box 3080 New Gretna, New Jersey 08224

Jim Donofrio

John DePersenaire

Gary Caputi

Executive Director

Managing Director

Communications Director

Barry Gibson

Jim Martin

Sharon Scaltrito

New England Director

West Coast Director

Office Manager