by Ken Hinman, Wild Oceans President To fully implement the Billfish Conservation Act of 2012, NOAA Fisheries must enact a Final Rule. Before the Final Rule there must be a Proposed Rule. And before that, an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR). The ANPR was issued 3 1⁄2 years ago in April 2013. We’ve yet…
by Pam Lyons Gromen As 2016 comes to a close, enjoy our year-end edition of the Wild Oceans Horizon. We report Progress for People and Fish in our summary of the year’s accomplishments and also recognize the charitable foundations and individuals who generously contributed to our success. We are already hard at work for a…
by Theresa Labriola In September, the Pacific Fishery Management Council reversed an earlier decision to postpone permitting buoy gear in the swordfish fishery in favor of more research. Changing its mind, the Council has now decided to pursue authorization because five years of research already tells us that this new, highly selective gear can catch…
by Ken Hinman, Wild Oceans President Cashes Ledge in the Gulf of Maine and canyons and seamounts offshore of New England are being proposed as national monuments, making these unique areas “ecological reserves,” protected from the ocean floor to the surface. Most advocates want all resource uses prohibited, including fishing. The move to designate marine…
Tim Choate of Coral Gables, Florida, an ardent angler since the mid-1950s, is being honored for a lifetime of contributions to the sport of offshore fishing and marine conservation. At tonight’s ceremony, he will be inducted into the prestigious International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame. The IGFA Hall of Fame recognizes extraordinary achievements in…
by Pam Lyons Gromen The summer edition of the Wild Oceans Horizon is here! And what a busy summer we have had. Check out our travel log on pages 8-9 to see the distance we will go to fight for the fish (as far as Japan!). In this issue, we celebrate a major victory as…
by Theresa Labriola When a politician changes heart over something that millions of others have changed their mind on and owns up to it, we call them “evolved.” But when the Pacific Fishery Management Council, led by California, changes course on authorizing deep set buoy gear (DSBG) despite overwhelming public support for transitioning away from…
Voice Your Support for a Strong Ocean Plan The Draft Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Action Plan has been released! Anglers and all stakeholders who value our oceans have a critical opportunity to weigh in to support a plan that conserves places of high productivity and diversity, places that are essential to the resilience and function of…
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) just took a huge step in preparing our ocean, fisheries and coastal communities for climate change. This type of foresight and required coordination is difficult, and hasn’t happened as often as it should in the past. The Western Regional Action Plan (WRAP) lays out why and how NFMS will…