NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments through Dec. 31, 2022 on updates to the agency’s 2015 National Policy for Saltwater Recreational Fisheries.
In announcing the update, NMFS said that NOAA “recognizes the need to adapt with a changing climate and the evolving needs of recreational fisheries and anglers,” with Asst. Administrator for NOAA Fisheries Janet Coit calling recreational anglers “one of NOAA Fisheries key constituencies” and saying she is “eager for input…to help shape how NOAA Fisheries advances sustainable recreational fishing opportunities at a time when ocean uses and ecosystems are changing rapidly.”
Specific areas of interest include how the 2015 policy statement, policy’s scope, policy goals, and guiding principles might be amended to better frame NMFS’s approach to recreational fisheries, include appropriate participants and policies, better inform NMFS’ focus for recreational fisheries, and better guide NMFS objectives and actions.
