FIsh First Coalition

The Fish First Coalition is a group of conservation-oriented recreational anglers who share a passion for responsible fishery management. We believe that a balance between science, existing management practices, and angler participation will provide all anglers responsible access to our fisheries and leave them better for future generations.

Protecting and enhancing America’s marine resources by supporting policies and management practices grounded in the best available science is the key to durable and resilient fisheries for today and the future.

We do that by:

Seeking to maintain and build upon the core tenets of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

Working with federal and state fishery managers and scientists to find new methods for more accurate data collection to better inform management decisions.

Promoting the best scientific information available as the guiding principle for all fishery management decisions.

Supporting durable and resilient management systems, especially in the Gulf of Mexico, that address the needs of private recreational anglers while accommodating other stakeholders and future generations.

News and articles for November 2017

The Hill: Letters to the Editor (Linda Behnken): Overfishing Isn’t ‘Modern’

Undercurrent News: US regulators boost Atlantic menhaden catch limits by 8%

Portland Press Herald: Maine Voices-A critical fishery left vulnerable to one company’s exploitation

Oceans Deeply: Flying Blind: The Dangerous Decline of the U.S. Ocean Monitoring Fleet

Alaska Native News: U.S. Leads in Global Fisheries Management

Honolulu Civil Beat: The Odd Story Of How A NOAA Scientist Calculated A Giant Marlin’s Age

Capital City Weekly: Fishermen Expo a festival of information, ideas, and connections

Oceans Deeply: Something Fishy? Bluefin Tuna Not Recovered; Regulators Say Catch More

Gloucester Times: Fisheries council to undertake independent review

St. Augustine Record (EDITORIAL): Snapper season’s a go, but we need to ask feds ‘why?’

CT Mirror: Beneath the Waves, Climate Change Puts Marine Life on the Move; Connecticut’s traditional fishing catch is heading north

Destin Log: Guest Opinion: Take advantage of Florida’s abundant seafood

Gloucester Times: Codfather reports to Devens prison 

Seattle Times: Climate change preview? Pacific Ocean ‘blob’ appears to take toll on Alaska cod

Seafood Source: NFI’s new top 10 list of America’s favorite seafood species points to upward consumption trend

NOAA Fisheries of the United States 2016 Report:

Associated Press: Fishing catch increases in value, volume dips slightly

Seafood Source: Annual NOAA fisheries report shows value up, consumption slightly down from 2015

Cape Cod Times: American Fisheries Remain Strong Economic Contributor

Associated Press: Chellie Pingree wants more charges brought against ‘Codfather’ fishing tycoon

Alabama Press-Register: Alabama seafood: fresh from the Gulf to your dinner plate

Orlando Sentinel: Commentary: Keep our oceans fishy; defend the Magnuson-Stevens Act

 Star-Ledger: There’s good news for one of N.J.’s most endangered fish

Providence Journal: Our Turn: Larry Taft, Steve Medeiros and Jonathan Stone: Managing the sea’s most important fish

Seafood Source: NOAA Fisheries approves limited 2017 red snapper season in the South Atlantic

Hatch Magazine: 203,748 comments is not enough; Yes, we’re doing the Pebble Mine thing again

The Fishing Wire (Op-ed at bottom of page): The Promise, and Peril, of Electronic Reporting for Anglers 

Here is educational material and information to help you stay better informed.

September 12, 2017: Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act: Oversight of Fisheries Management Successes and Challenges

From the Committee website:
“U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), chairman of the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard, will convene the hearing titled “Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act: Oversight of Fisheries Management Successes and Challenges” at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 12, 2017. The hearing is the third of the series and will focus on the perspectives of commercial, charter, and recreational fishermen on the state of our nation’s fishery laws.

Witnesses:
Panel I
–  Phil Faulkner, President,  Nautic Star Boats
–  Jim Donofrio, Executive Director, Recreational Fishing Alliance
–  Chris Horton, Senior Director, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
–  Anthony Friedrich, Saltwater Angler
Panel II
–  Lori Steele, Executive Director, West Coast Seafood Processors Association
–  Peter Andrew, Board Member, Bristol Bay Native Corporation
–  Greg DiDomenico, Executive Director, Garden State Seafood Association
–  Capt. William “Bubba” Cochrane, President, Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance”

Testimony of all witnesses is available on the committee’s website via the link above.

We will post information about important events here.

September 12, 2017: Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act: Oversight of Fisheries Management Successes and Challenges