CCA SC encourages Governor to reconsider access closures

CCA SC encourages Governor to reconsider access closures
“Given that fishing provides a valuable, needed, and traditional physical and mental outlet, we would like to encourage you to consider amending your executive order regarding the closure of public boat ramps and landings as soon as appropriate.”

CCA South Carolina asks Governor McMaster to revisit Executive Order closing public boat ramps and landings. The full letter is below.
April 9, 2020

The Honorable Henry McMaster Governor, State of South Carolina 1205 Pendleton Street Columbia, SC 29201
Dear Governor McMaster,

On behalf of the over 10,000 members, supporters, and volunteers across the Palmetto State as well as the state board of directors of Coastal Conservation Association South Carolina (CCA SC), I thank you for the leadership you have shown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your efforts to secure both the physical health and well-being of our citizens as well as the welfare of the state’s economy have been evident in your decisive actions. South Carolinians will remember your efforts justly.

As you are keenly aware, recreational saltwater fishing is a strong part of the fabric of South Carolina; both culturally and economically. While the stewardship of our envied coastal resources is mission centric to CCA SC, advocating for and advancing recreational saltwater anglers’ access to those resources is just as strong a part of our efforts. Given that fishing provides a valuable, needed, and traditional physical and mental outlet, we would like to encourage you to consider amending your executive order regarding the closure of public boat ramps and landings as soon as appropriate. Perhaps there are additional protocols that could be adopted to allow for the use of these public trust areas while maintaining the clearly warranted social distancing and gathering guidelines that are so important at this time.

To echo what the American Sportfishing Association said in their letter to you dated Friday, March 27, “Particularly during this pandemic, recreational fishing provides an ideal means for individuals and families to get outdoors and boost their physical and mental health in a way that doesn’t necessitate close contact with others”. Clearly, allowing South Carolina’s families to access the waterways of the state in a responsible manner was your intent, as is evident in the message that fishing has not been prohibited; however the closure of the public landings and ramps is a de facto closure of access for the vast majority of our state’s citizens. Many Governors have encouraged forms of outdoor recreation, such as recreational fishing, as a positive and appropriate activity compatible with social distancing guidelines. You have been a staunch advocate of that traditional activity during your time as Governor and the recreational saltwater fishing community values your commitment.

CCA SC works tirelessly with state agencies, fisheries managers & law enforcement, and state and local officials to be a valued and trusted voice concerning marine conservation and angling advocacy issues. During this unprecedented time in our state and country’s history, South Carolinians are united in overcoming this great challenge and look to your leadership to provide the path. We urge you to please revisit this order and seek guidelines that would allow Palmetto State families the opportunity to use these resources as a vital re-set. If we can be of any assistance in that endeavor, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely, Jay Brown CCA SC State Chapter Chairman

Popular recreational species are early winners in legislative session
Conservation measures put in place on Atlantic Spadefish and Tripletail

Columbia, S.C. – While it is early in the 2020 South Carolina legislative process, key legislators working with Coastal Conservation Association South Carolina (CCA SC) and state fisheries managers passed important conservation measures for both Atlantic Spadefish and Tripletail late last week, two species popular among recreational anglers. Senate Bill 474 places a 14-inch minimum size limit on Atlantic Spadefish with no changes to creel limits already in place. Senate Bill 475 addresses the fact that Tripletail had no conservation measures of any kind in the Palmetto State – the only state in the species’ range without any regulation – by placing an 18-inch minimum size limit and a three-per-person, nine-fish-per-boat creel limit. Both pieces of legislation, particularly S.475, are reasonable management steps that needed to be taken, says the recreational angling advocacy group.

“We (CCA SC) have long held the position that every recreationally important species should be seen as having value and should be protected with reasonable management regulations,” said Tombo Milliken, CCA SC Government Relations chairman. “To do otherwise would be irresponsible given the increasing pressures on our existing coastal resources. We are very appreciative and thankful that we have willing partners in the General Assembly and state agencies to work with towards those goals.”

South Carolina manages all its natural resources via legislation, requiring approval by both the House and the Senate before being signed into law by the Governor. The two fisheries legislative efforts began in 2019 and received staunch support in both bodies of the General Assembly, yet were delayed passage in the waning days of last year’s session. With support in the Senate by Sens. Chip Campsen, Stephen Goldfinch, Greg Gregory, and Ronny Cromer last session, the bills moved easily through that body’s process. Equally as impressive was the bi-partisan support the bills received this session in the House with Reps. David Hiott, Bill Hixon, and Roger Kirby navigating the bills through the sub-committee and full committee process to final vote.

“To have decision-makers who understand and recognize both the value that South Carolinians place on our coastal and marine resources and what having access to them means to our traditional way of life is so crucial in a state that continues to experience so much population growth,” said Scott Whitaker, CCA SC executive director. “Our coast is such a special place along the entire Eastern Seaboard and has played so significant a role in South Carolina’s – even the country’s – history that it deserves the commitment by interested parties to protect and manage it with wise stewardship and in a sustainable manner.”

[dt_gap height=”10″ /]From our friends at The Center for Sportfishing Policy:

Modern Fish Act 101
Time to Get Reel

As we celebrate National Fishing and Boating Week, a review of the Modern Fish Act is in order. A lot has been written about this bill by many different people — some informed and some uninformed. One thing is for sure — the Modern Fish Act is an unprecedented, sportfishing-focused fisheries management bill that is moving through both chambers of Congress. This bi-partisan legistlation aims to improve federal management of recreational fisheries while safeguarding sustainability for future generations.

Since school’s out for summer and many families are celebrating this week on the water, let’s look at what the bill accomplishes.

The Modern Fish Act:

• Requires periodic reviews of mixed-use fisheries allocations (i.e. those fished by both the commercial and recreational sectors) in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. It’s a no-brainer that the way a public resource is divvied up should be periodically examined, but that is not happening now.
• Clarifies that regional fishery management councils and NOAA Fisheries can implement management approaches such as harvest rate management that have been used successfully in some regions but that other regions have not even considered.
• Requires a National Academy of Sciences study of how Limited Access Privilege Programs (conveniently nicknamed “catch share” programs) in mixed-use fisheries could be improved to reduce user conflicts, and places a hold on implementing any new Limited Access Privilege Programs until the study’s results are public.
• Revises the rebuilding timeline requirement to ensure the timeframes are based on the biology of a depleted fishery, not an arbitrary 10-year rebuilding timeline. Anyone who supports science-based management should prefer this approach.
• Authorizes the use of multi-year and multi-species annual catch limits, which is simply a codification of recent updates to NOAA Fisheries guidelines.
• Requires NOAA Fisheries to respond if a state, regional fishery management council or interstate marine fisheries commission objects to an exempted fishing permit providing more clarity to the approval process.
• Requires a study of how third-party data, such as state-collected data through electronic reporting systems — e.g. iSnapper in Texas, La Creel in Louisiana, Tails ‘n Scales in Mississippi, Outdoor AL in Alabama and iAngler in Florida — could improve fisheries data. For many offshore fisheries, the federal program that estimates angler harvest — the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) — does not provide data at the level of accuracy or timeliness needed for basic management, much less in-season management of various fisheries.
• Tells NOAA Fisheries to implement the recommendations of the recent National Academy of Sciences review of MRIP and to follow up on key questions raised in the report, for example whether/how management could be better adapted to align with available data.

The Modern Fish Act does NOT exempt recreational anglers from rules, regulations or laws. Anglers support science-based management which ensures the future of recreational fishing.

Science-based. Angler-focused. That’s the Modern Fish Act. And it’s time to get reel.

 Jeff Angers