The 2015 Saltwater Media Summit: Red Snapper, Gulf Habitat, and the Sportfishing Economy

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July 17, 2015

Convention-Ctr — Orlando’s Orange County Conference Center, site of TRCP’s fifth annual Saltwater Media Summit and ICAST’s 2015 sportfishing trade show.

Welcome to the TRCP’s fifth annual Saltwater Media Summit, where we brought together key members of the media to discuss the most pressing issues facing saltwater recreational fishing. This year, for the first time ever, the summit was held in conjunction with ICAST, the American Sportfishing Association’s trade show in Orlando, Florida. Our one-day summit focused on a variety of conservation topics relevant to the sportfishing community today—and tomorrow.

“We want to get the word out about some important issues relating to sportfishing in America,” said Whit Fosburgh, TRCP’s president and CEO, in his opening remarks to the standing-room-only crowd at the Orange County Convention Center. “There is also a remarkable economic story about sportfishing. It’s big business. And it can’t be exported to China.”

Making Red Snapper Numbers Add Up

In his lead-in to the panel about recreational red snapper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, one of the fishing community’s most contentious topics, Fosburgh said the species exemplifies everything that’s right and wrong with the Magnuson-Stevens Act. “The folks on the recreational side say they have been shut out of rebuilt fisheries, while the commercial guys are catching a lot of fish,” he said.

Dr. Roy Crabtree, Regional Administrator for the NOAA Fisheries Service, admitted that the council charged with federal oversight of the fish has been in a deadlock over proposed changes to the system, but collaboration between states and federal fisheries managers is, and will be, necessary to satisfy commercial and recreational anglers. “Yes, there are more red snapper out there than there have been for the past 30 to 40 years,” he said. “But in planning the seasons, we’re trying to predict the length of time it should take to reach 80% of the quota, and there’s a margin of error there.”

Crabtree also discussed the challenges of the solutions already on the table for dealing with short recreational seasons and sector separation, including having the states discuss allocation of seasons. “Regional management of red snapper would be complicated,” he said. “Some regions may benefit at the expense of others.”

Both Jessica McCawley of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Randy Pausina of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries called for state oversight of the red snapper in the Gulf and gave examples of innovative new data collection strategies they have begun to implement. “States know their needs best,” said McCawley. “What works for Florida doesn’t work for Louisiana,” added Pausina. “Each state can develop a plan that fits their needs.”

“I have no problem with the states,” said Crabtree at the height of a spirited Q&A with reporters in the room. “They play a huge role. We all work together.”

Can Revamped Fisheries Law Make Washington Work for Recreational Anglers?

Over lunch, two leading fisheries policy experts discussed the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the principal law overseeing marine fisheries management in U.S. federal waters. It was first passed in 1976—or, as speaker Jeff Angers, President of the Center for Coastal Conservation, noted—about the time Steve Jobs was launching Apple. His point was that the world has changed greatly in the past four decades. “But in the last 40 years, there hasn’t been a lot of change in legislative oversight of saltwater fishing,” he said. “We think the next reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act is our time. This is the time the $70-billion recreational fishing industry deserves the attention of Congress.”

Angers-and-Leonard — Jeff Angers (left), Center for Coastal Conservation: “In the past 40 years, there hasn’t been a lot of changes to legislative oversight for saltwater fishing.” Mike Leonard, American Sportfishing Association: “I don’t think marine fisheries will have a lot of influence in this presidential race. We are still looking for champions in Congress.”

Mike Leonard, Ocean Resource Policy Director for the American Sportfishing Association, added that while Sen. Rubio has been a champion for fisheries and has declared his bid for the presidency, Magnuson-Stevens probably won’t be a topic of the first debate in a few weeks. “I don’t think marine fisheries will have a lot of influence in this presidential race,” said Leonard.

What a Few Billion Dollars Could Buy in Gulf Coast Restoration Projects

Pollster Karoline Richardson McGrail of Public Opinion Strategies kicked off this session with the results of an exclusive poll conducted on behalf of TRCP and the Nature Conservancy. Gulf residents overwhelming supported using the fines resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster on Gulf restoration and conservation projects. While 68 percent supported restoration, according to McGrail, only 17 percent favored using the funds for construction of roads, convention centers, school buildings, and other projects on the Gulf Coast.

Kelly Samek of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission explained how she’s helping to divert funds, like the BP spill settlement dollars, to useful restoration projects. “I match needs to dollars,” she said. “There’s a lot of money coming in from a lot of different places.” She cited recent restoration projects at Escribano Point, Fla., near the border of Alabama, as a successful use of funds to restore coastline.

Ted Venker, Conservation Director for the Coastal Conservation Association, discussed the years of work and fundraising it took to open the Cedar Bayou on Texas’s Gulf Coast, one of the state’s iconic fish passes connecting the Gulf with important wildlife estuaries. “There are hundreds of projects like this around the country that can be unlocked” with money from the BP multi-billion-dollar settlement, he said.

Keep checking the TRCP’s website as we share stories from our media attendees and other results from the summit. And if you’re interested in joining us next year, reach out to Kristyn Brady at kbrady@trcp.org.

Convention-floor-beehive — Fishing in the beehive: The floor of the ICAST conference was a beehive of activity as attendees sought information and insights about the latest products related to recreational fishing.

Chris-Mac-TV — Ready for his closeup: TRCP’s Chris Macaluso (center) was interviewed for World Fishing Network’s live stream by Lynn Burkhead and Chad LaChance.

Model behavior: Simms shows off the latest in fishing fashion.

Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO, TRCP: “We need healthy marine fish populations if we’re going to be successful as recreational fishermen.”

Jessica-McCawley — Jessica McCawley, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee: “States know their needs best.”

Randy-Pausina — Randy Pausina, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, on the nine-day Gulf red snapper season for rec. anglers: “It’s just unacceptable.”

Costa-Howl-outside — Hundreds of ICAST guests jammed into Orlando’s Howl at the Moon nightclub for Costa’s annual ICAST party where they enjoyed shrimp, cocktails, cold beer and hot music.

Howl-Piano — Hundreds of ICAST guests jammed into Orlando’s Howl at the Moon nightclub for Costa’s annual ICAST party where they enjoyed shrimp, cocktails, cold beer and hot music.

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by: Kristyn Brady

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July 16, 2015

New Poll: Two-Thirds of Gulf Coast Voters Want RESTORE to Fund Habitat Restoration

A new poll completed by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and The Nature Conservancy shows that Gulf Coast voters remain very concerned about the impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster and overwhelmingly support using the fines resulting from the oil spill on Gulf restoration and conservation projects. More than three in five voters (61 percent) say that the “after-effects of the BP oil spill on natural areas and wildlife along the Gulf Coast” are an “extremely” or “very serious” problem for the region. That figure is up from 57 percent in 2013 and ranks among the top concerns of the region: the economy (67 percent), education (66 percent), and crime (62 percent).

“This poll reveals continued strong concern by the people of the Gulf region for the health of the Gulf of Mexico and the strong belief by a broad cross-section of the population that funds from the recently announced settlement with BP should be invested in restoring and conserving the natural features that make the Gulf such a beautiful, biologically rich, and productive place,” said Robert Bendick, Director of The Nature Conservancy’s Gulf of Mexico Program.

elmer's-pumping_web — Image courtesy of Louisiana GOHSEP.

Nearly seven in ten (68 percent) voters said RESTORE Act funds “should be used mainly for restoration of our beaches, wildlife habitat, coastal areas, rivers and other waters that affect the Gulf Coast.” Just 17 percent preferred that funds “be used mainly for construction of roads, convention centers, school buildings, and other projects on the Gulf Coast.” Republicans (68 percent) were even more likely than Democrats (58 percent) to prioritize restoration projects over construction. More than a third of the residents polled said that they’ve purchased a license to hunt or fish in the last three years, and these sportsmen were also more likely to back conservation projects.

“The economy and culture of the Gulf Coast are absolutely dependent upon access to high-quality fishing and other recreational activities,” said Whit Fosburgh, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership’s president and CEO. “Gulf residents recognize the significance of this opportunity to repair the direct damage from the oil spill, as well as long-term threats to the quality of the entire ecosystem, using fines from the 2010 disaster. Investing in the Gulf’s fisheries, wildlife, beaches, and waters is not choosing between the ecosystem and the economy. The ecosystem is the economy.”

The bipartisan research team of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R) partnered to complete this survey of registered voters along the Gulf Coast. The results show little change from a similar survey completed in 2013, illustrating that voters place a lasting value on the health of the Gulf as contributing to the region’s economy and culture.

The poll will be presented in detail today at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership’s annual Saltwater Media Summit, a gathering of journalists to discuss the most timely conservation policy issues impacting saltwater fishing. This year, the event takes place at ICAST, the world’s largest sportfishing trade show, where TRCP has invited science and policy experts to discuss red snapper management and harvest collection, reauthorization of the country’s major fisheries conservation law, and priority projects for Gulf Coast habitat restoration in the wake of an $18.7-billion settlement from BP. Notable speakers include Dr. Roy Crabtree of NOAA Fisheries and representatives of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, American Sportfishing Association, Center for Coastal Conservation, and Coastal Conservation Association.

by: Kristyn Brady

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Sportsmen are in on the conversation about drought planning

Today, the National Drought Resilience Partnership (NDRP) will bring stakeholders together at the U.S. Department of the Interior for the White House Drought Symposium, made possible with the support of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP). Nearly 40 diverse stakeholder groups will be represented to discuss the federal government’s role in building drought resilience into our water management systems and the steps that federal agencies should take to forestall future drought crises. Sportsmen hope the event will result in concrete steps that the federal government can take on drought planning and 21st century approaches to water conservation that will benefit fish, wildlife, and all Americans.

“The ongoing drought crisis creates a unique opportunity to change our water management systems so they are more resilient against future threats,” said Jimmy Hague, the TRCP’s Center for Water Resources director. “The groups gathered at the symposium have a track record of implementing innovative and effective projects on the ground to improve water resources and preserve working lands, and I’m confident that our input will set the stage for federal actions for years to come.”

Sportsmen will urge the administration to advance widely-supported conservation and water-efficiency measures to meet water demands while protecting and restoring the healthy river flows that ensure access to quality fish habitat. Hunting and angling stakeholders will also call for a renewed commitment and creative approaches to conservation funding.

“As brutal drought conditions continue throughout the West, cooperation among agricultural producers, conservation interests, and municipal users is essential,” said Laura Ziemer, Trout Unlimited’s senior counsel and water policy advisor. “We appreciate the opportunity to participate in the symposium and provide recommendations based on our work with farmers and ranchers in California, the Klamath Basin, the Yakima River Basin, and the Colorado River Basin to improve irrigation systems in a way that provides drought resilience for water supplies and fisheries.”

“The Nature Conservancy supports a proactive approach to achieve healthy ecosystems and related economies in the face of drought,” said Doug Robotham, water policy director for The Nature Conservancy. “We are working with these partners to find common ground and new ways to be more efficient and effective with the water we have and ensure that we will have the water we need for years to come. California’s severe drought or that which has affected the Colorado River Basin for the last 15 years, and which may be the worst in the last 1,200 years, demand flexible and innovative approaches to meeting the fresh water needs of cities, farms, and wildlife. We are all in this together.”

Other TRCP partners in attendance will include the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. For examples of the good work these groups are doing on water projects in local communities, see our Snapshots of Success report.

by: Brian Clow

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July 14, 2015

What you need to know before our 5th Annual Saltwater Media Summit

We’re kicking off our fifth annual Saltwater Media Summit this week at ICAST, the world’s largest sportfishing trade show. We’re bringing together lawmakers, thought leaders, and journalists to discuss today’s most pressing saltwater angling issues.

Want some more background on the issues that we’ll be tackling? We’ve got you covered.

Check out some of these resources on red snapper management, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and Gulf Coast restoration.

Panel I: Making Red Snapper Numbers Add Up

2015 Red snapper season set for Gulf of Mexico — The (La.) Times-Picayune
U.S. Senators want longer red snapper season — Panama City News Herald
Gulf Council’s plan to manage red snapper draws support, ire — Houston Chronicle
Statistics show Louisiana surveys far more anglers than federal program — The (La.) Times Picayune

McGlothlin_Jessica_TRCP_Salt-9 — Image by Jessica McGlothlin.

Panel II: Can Revamped Fisheries Law Make Washington Work for Recreational Anglers?

Yamaha Marine Group applauds passage of H.R. 1335 — Yamaha Newsroom
Not everyone celebrating Magnuson passage — The Fishing Wire
Bass Anglers for Saltwater Conservation
Angling community encouraged by Magnuson bills — Sport Fishing Magazine

Panel III: What a Few Billion Dollars Could Buy in Gulf Coast Restoration Projects

Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund — National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund Projects — National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Gulf Spill Restoration: How we assess injuries — NOAA
Gulf states reach $18.7 billion settlement with BP over 2010 oil spill — USA Today
With BP cash, Louisiana could jump start coastal restoration — The (La.) Times-Picayune
Angling community knows what to do with $18.7 B oil spill settlement — The Fishing Wire
About the RESTORE Act — Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council
Sculpting with sand: How oil spill penalties are bringing back vanishing dunes and beaches — The Watery Rave

Want to learn more about our Saltwater Media Summit? Check out our preview here and check back in for daily recaps, photos from the show floor, and much more!

by: Brian Clow

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July 13, 2015

Talking dollars and cents at our fifth annual Saltwater Media Summit

How do you measure a quality day on the water? By total fish caught? By your biggest catch? By how many hours were spent alongside friends and family?

What about in dollars and cents?

You may not realize the dramatic impact your recreational fishing dollars have on the U.S. economy—each year, the dollars you spend on fishing boats, guides, and gear generates $115 billion in economic activity. Saltwater anglers account for $70 billion of that. This money goes to support conservation and great public access to fishing and creates thousands of jobs that support coastal communities all across the country.

That’s why we chose to host our fifth annual Saltwater Media Summit at ICAST, the world’s largest fishing trade show, where media and business leaders can experience the full economic might of the recreational fishing industry. We’re gathering science and policy experts in Orlando, Florida, to show members of the media that important saltwater conservation issues—like red snapper management, reauthorization of the country’s major marine fisheries law, and Gulf Coast restoration—are impacting our local economies just as much as our access to quality fishing.

Want to know how $18.7 billion dollars in restoration dollars will be spent? Are you and your readers frustrated with short recreational seasons for Gulf red snapper? Do you wonder what Washington lawmakers could be doing to protect your saltwater fishing access? Our experts will discuss all that and more. We’ll be providing updates throughout the week, so follow the #TRCPSummit hashtag on Twitter, or stay tuned to Facebook and the blog for more information. To find us at ICAST, contact Kristyn Brady via email.

We wouldn’t be able to break big conservation stories at ICAST without the help of our generous sponsors. We’d like to thank Bass Pro Shops, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, NOAA Fisheries, Costa, Patagonia, Pure Fishing, the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, Yamaha, the American Sportfishing Association, and the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Check out a full listing of our sponsors right here.