President Trump's Executive Order Prioritizes Recreational Fishing, Raises Environmental Concerns
President Trump has issued an executive order, 'Restoring American Saltwater Angling and Recreation,' directing federal agencies to prioritize recreational fishing. The order mandates the Commerce Department to review fisheries guidelines under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the primary law governing marine fisheries management in U.S. federal waters, to ensure they appropriately account for recreational fishing. Additionally, the Interior Department is instructed to establish a program for converting decommissioned offshore oil and gas structures into permanent artificial reefs. The order also calls for an 'Interagency Shark and Pinniped Depredation Task Force' to address instances where sharks and marine mammals interfere with anglers' catches, and directs agencies to suspend, revise, or rescind regulations that are deemed to overly burden boaters, anglers, and outdoor businesses. This move has been met with praise from the National Marine Fisheries Service, which views it as a step towards stability for the ...
