Boating Industry

April 2014

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26 | Boating Industry | April 2014 [ Washington Update ] www.BoatingIndustry.com www.BoatingIndustry.com One of the biggest issues facing the marine industry is access to water, espe- cially saltwater fi sheries. The industry took a big step forward on the issue at this year's Miami International Boat Show, when the Commission on Saltwater Recreational Fisheries introduced a new report, "A Vision for Managing America's Saltwater Recre- ational Fisheries." The report lays out the current state of recreational fi shing, the economic impact of it and recommendations for the future. "It's the fi rst time the recreational fi shing industry has gotten together," said Maverick Boats President Scott Deal during the announcement of the report at the show. Deal, along with Bass Pro Shops founder and CEO Johnny Morris, chaired the commission. "For many reasons, I'm deeply com- mitted to protecting and enhancing our nation's fi sheries to ensure a bright future for the great American tradition of fi sh- ing. It's not only vitally important to our economy, it's also very important to our society and for getting kids connected to the outdoors and understanding the need for conservation," said Morris. "Sharing our outdoor heritage with our children and grandchildren means we must work hard now to improve saltwater recreational fi sheries management." The commission is composed of biologists, economists, conservationists, fi sheries managers and policy makers. The report is especially timely as Con- gress debates the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which governs the nation's marine fi sheries. Throughout 2013, members of the commission met to deliberate and debate strategies to improve saltwater recre- ational fi sheries management. A wide range of experts and other stakeholders, including economists, researchers, federal and state agency adminis- trators, environmentalists, charter captains and indi- vidual recreational anglers, were invited to meet with the commission to provide information and advice on a variety of fi sheries manage- ment issues. The report identifi es six key policies that would achieve the commission's vision. Those recommenda- tions primarily focus on the Magnuson- Stevens Act. The recommendations include: Establishing a national policy for recreational fi shing Adopting a revised approach to salt- water recreational fi sheries management Allocating marine fi sheries for the greatest benefi t to the nation Creating reasonable latitude in stock rebuilding timelines Codifying a process for cooperative management Managing for the forage base "It's an honor to participate in the commission's work and in the develop- ment of this landmark document," said Deal. "This is the fi rst time the recre- ational fi shing community and the fi shing and boating industries have clearly set forth what we believe the majority of the nation's recreational anglers want regarding our saltwater fi sheries laws, management policies and regulations." Other groups that contributed to the report include the American Sportfi sh- ing Association, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Berkley Conservation Institute, Center for Coastal Conserva- tion, Coastal Conservation Association, Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, National Marine Manufacturers Associa- tion and Theodore Roosevelt Conserva- tion Partnership. A PDF of the full report is available at http://bit.ly/bi414. There are plenty of reasons to be unhappy with our nation's lawmakers, but not engaging in the process just ends up hurting the boating industry. The only way to be sure the industry's voice is heard is to be involved, Gabriel said. "Maybe people don't think they can effect change. Maybe they don't like the politicians, maybe they don't like what's going on in Washington, but if we do nothing, if we don't meet with the policymakers, they're defi nitely not going to know who we are," he said. "They're defi nitely going to have our opponents painting their picture of us and really it's our respon- sibility to paint our picture for ourselves, and what we bring to the table and what we need from policymakers." The ethanol issue is a perfect example of that. While the marine industry and affi liated groups have made good progress on the E15 issue, ethanol proponents are well-organized and well-funded. Through a mix of lobbying and grassroots efforts, the ethanol industry is doing a great job delivering its message to Congress and regulators. The marine industry has to do the same, Gabriel said. New at ABC 2014 In response to feedback from past attendees, organizers have also made some changes to this year's program. To give attend- ees more opportunities for industry networking, ABC 2014 will kick off with an opening reception on the Potomac. Recognizing that the attendees aren't professional lobbyists, NMMA government relations staff will also be offering more guidance for attendees on making their case during hill visits. Before ABC, attendees can attend a webinar on key issues, and at the conference there will be an all-new session on effective lobbying techniques. The seminar will help people understand the lobbying pro- cess, understand the environment, and what they should expect from their Hill visit. Staff will offer guidance on how to speak to a member of Congress or senior staffer. That will be followed by an issues briefi ng to help attendees learn the issues and key talking points. This year's ABC will also be made a little easier with a new app being developed by NMMA to improve scheduling and feedback. The app is being created by Beekeeper Group, a com- pany that has developed similar apps for other organizations to manage their government conferences. The app is free to download and use and will be available in the Apple and Google stores by April. Some of the highlights of the app and service: Live training and tutorials. Beekeeper staff will present at the conference on how to download and use the app, as well as provide a one-page handout. Instant meeting feedback. With the survey button, users can provide NMMA staff with feedback on Hill meetings: Who they met with, notes, successes, concerns, etc. Overall organization and effi ciency. The app provides an ABC 2014 SCHEDULE Tentative schedule of events at press time. For the latest updated schedule, visit nmma.org/abc. MONDAY, MAY 5, 2014 NOON – 5:00PM Recreational Boating Lead- ership Council Meeting 3:30PM – 5:00PM Government Relations and PAC Committee Meetings 5:30PM – 7:30PM Welcome Reception – Boat Cruise on the Potomac TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2014 7:30AM Registration 8:30AM – 9:30AM Breakfast 9:30AM – 10:15AM Effective Lobbying Techniques 10:15AM – 10:30AM Break 10:30AM – 11:30AM ABC 2014 Issue Briefi ng 11:45AM – 1:00PM Lunch – Fishing Issues Panel & Eddie Smith Award Presentation 1:00PM – 6:00PM Hill Visits Available 1:00PM – 3:00PM AMD Board of Directors Meeting* EMD Board of Directors Meeting* BMD Board of Directors Meeting* 3:30PM – 5:30PM NMMA Board of Directors Meeting* 7:00PM – 9:00PM BOATPAC Reception at Union Station* WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2014 7:30AM – 8:00AM Registration & Breakfast 8:00AM – NOON Conference Speakers and Presentations NOON – 12:45PM Lunch 1:00PM – 6:00PM Hill Visits THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014 8:00AM – 1:00PM Trailer Roundup Program (offsite location TBD) *Indicates closed events, by invitation only. NEW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS INDUSTRY SALTWATER VISION P22x27-BI14APR-GovtUpdate.indd 26 3/13/14 4:25 PM

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