Washington, DC - Federal "no-fishing zones" in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans threaten to unjustly and arbitrarily deny recreational fishermen access to U.S. marine resources. With current and proposed bans on recreational fishing encompassing as much as 20 percent of U.S. waters, the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is urging Congress to act promptly in passing The Freedom To Fish Act (S. 1314) in the 107th Congress.

Responding to threats of unfair exclusion, CCA and the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) worked with congressional leaders to draft The Freedom To Fish Act, sponsored by Sen. John Breaux, D-LA and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-TX, to ensure recreational anglers' freedom to utilize our nation's renewable fishery resources. This critically important legislative measure has been introduced before the 107th Congress by Sens. Breaux and Hutchison, and is awaiting congressional approval.

"Historically, recreational fishermen have willingly borne the brunt of regulation and restriction in the name of stewardship," said Fred Miller, Chairman of CCA's Government Relations Committee. "But blanket no-fishing zones represent a quick and unfair approach, managing people rather than resources. The Freedom To Fish Act will help protect recreational anglers' freedom to fish without jeopardizing the proper conservation of the resource."

Current congressional policy allows for ocean-area closures where they can be shown necessary to conserve troubled fish stocks. The Freedom To Fish Act outlines proper and effective criteria for implementing closures to recreational fishing while protecting recreational anglers' freedom to access and avoiding arbitrary, broad-brush management measures.

"Blanket marine closures take away the single most important element to sport fishing - the public's access to the water," said Mike Nussman, ASA vice president. "The Freedom To Fish Act would establish common sense guidelines and safeguards to preserve the public's freedom to use and enjoy these resources."

"Time and area closures can be effective management tools when based on good scientific data," said David Cummins, President of CCA, "but arbitrary restriction of recreational anglers merely displaces fishing effort, increases regulatory confusion, increases user group conflicts and casts doubt on the entire fishery management process. It is a disservice to all U.S. citizens."

CCA opposes regulations that prohibit recreational fishing access unless it can be scientifically determined that recreational fishermen are the cause of a specific conservation problem and traditional conservation measures are inadequate to solve the problem.