In an effort to bring cohesion to the saltwater recreational fishing community, the RFA has launched the RED ALERT campaign. We can no longer afford to work as individuals or splinter cells. We have to work together and pool our resources or the days of freedom in our fisheries may well be over. In cooperation with our state chapter we … Read More
Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2017 Introduced in the House
U.S. Reps. Graves, Green, Webster, Wittman Champion Federal Saltwater Fisheries Reform Washington, D.C. – April 6, 2017 – The recreational fishing and boating community praised the introduction of a bill that addresses critical challenges facing saltwater recreational fishing at the federal level. Led by Congressmen Garret Graves (R-La.), Gene Green (D-Texas), Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) and Rob Wittman (R-Va.), the … Read More
Defying Science and Logic: A Look Into Recreational Cobia Closure
Last March as many along the east coast were preparing for the upcoming 2016 cobia migration into near shore and inshore waters, cobia anglers were at a loss when NMFS announced a June 20th closure date in federal waters. A June 20th closure would have resulted in Virginia and North Eastern North Carolina’s stakeholders from having little to no season. … Read More
Secretary of Commerce: Suspend the Arbitrary 2017 Cobia Closure – RFA
Once again, flawed data and arbitrary control measures drop the hammer on the recreational anglers on the east coast. NMFS has announced that Cobia harvest will be closed in federal waters (3-200 nautical miles) from Georgia’s southern border to New York. According to NOAA the annual catch limits were exceeded in 2015 by nearly one million pounds and then again … Read More
Maryland Sees Low Striped Bass Recruitment
Very successful striper spawning years, as recently as 2011 and 2015, should more than compensate for Maryland’s below-average 2016 year class. Back on October 15, the Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources announced that the 2016 young-of-the-year striped bass index (YOY), a measure of spawning success in Maryland’s portion of Chesapeake Bay, is 2.2, well below the 63-year average of … Read More
Charleston Winter Trout Tactics with Jamie Hough
Each Fall season in the marsh estuaries of the southeast, anglers that aren’t too consumed with deer hunting and football get to experience some of the best Trout fishing you will find anywhere. Even the famed Louisiana fishery has to tip its hat to the southeast Trout run. Things start to get interesting in October and only ramp up as … Read More
SECTOR SEPARATION – “CAP AND TRADE” FOR OUR FISHERIES by Tom Hilton
Written by Tom Hilton for Making Waves To understand the motives behind Sector Separation, you must first understand who is pushing it, and why. Do a little research on The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), which is raking in hundreds of millions of dollars from foundations such as the Walton Foundation (founders of Walmart) and individuals to “save” us from ourselves. … Read More
NOAA Murders Baby Whale – Policy Overrides Common Sense
Your child is sick, lethargic, and too young to speak. So you euthanize it, right? Of course you don’t. It’s simple common sense. But common sense gives way to bureaucracy as was the case when a baby whale was stranded on a sandbar just off of Long Island. Local agencies and volunteers were at the ready with equipment and other … Read More
RFA Anticipates Positive Change Under President Trump’s Leadership
New Gretna, NJ, – When the news broke this morning that Donald J. Trump had been elected to serve as the 45 th president of the United States, the Recreational Fishing Alliance’s Executive Director Jim Donofrio couldn’t have been more pleased. “The RFA was the only sport fishing organization in the country that supported and publically endorsed Mr. Trump right from … Read More
RFA Response to Trump Victory
Thank you to all of the RFA members who voted for Donald Trump to be our 45th president. We understand that there were members that felt that we shouldn’t endorse a candidate and didn’t agree with our choice. The fact is that, much like the NRA does with second amendment issues, we look at which candidates we will be able … Read More