The Recreational Fishing Alliance, a lobbying group representing recreational fishermen in the United States, is praising the election of President-elect Donald Trump, saying it “anticipates positive change” under his leadership.
In a press release issued after the election on 9 November, RFA Executive Director Jim Donofrio said his organization was “optimistic that the new administration will provide a more balanced approach to managing the country’s marine resources.”
“We look forward to working with the Trump administration to correct issues with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, water quality, sector separation, limited entry, and other issues,” Donofrio said.
Donofrio said his organization hoped that President Trump would curtail the use of use of executive action, such as President Obama’s recent use of the Antiquities Act to create two national marine monuments, and other “less-than-transparent schemes that circumvent the public management process.”
“The days of the environmental zealots running the show are, for the most part, over. I think we’ll start to see a more balanced approach between access to our resources, responsible stewardship, and common-sense conservation,” Donofrio said. “We’re excited about this new direction, and look forward to some positive changes to the Magnuson-Stevens Act that will benefit our sector, along with a new attitude towards fishery management.”
The RFA expects to see new laws and changes to regulatory processes that will benefit the recreational sector, according to Donofrio.
“We have to be mindful of how we treat our fragile ocean fisheries, and at the same time ensure that we don’t continue to allow recreational fishermen to be pushed aside and mired in red tape while special interest clears the way for commercial groups and environmental extremism,” he said.
