Fissues

06/09/2026

A cloud-based Decision Support Tool is transforming the recreational fishing regulations process by putting cutting-edge science and decision-making power directly into the hands of recreational fishing advisors and managers.

05/27/2026

05/06/2026

"... The Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission Menhaden Management Board on Tuesday put off a vote on new potential restrictions for Virginia’s only reduction fishery in the Chesapeake Bay..."

The Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission Menhaden Management Board on Tuesday put off a vote on new potential restrictions for Virginia’s only reduction fishery in the Chesapeake Bay.

05/06/2026

Some news from our colleagues at the ASGA ...

Will Connecticut Senate Conserve Striped Bass?

The Connecticut Senate has a bipartisan piece of legislation ready to go. Raised Bill 5333 is sitting on the Senate calendar. The bill has already passed the House and awaits a Senate hearing before the regular session ends tomorrow, May 6th.

This bill delivers three straight-up, common-sense protections for striped bass:

1. It creates real penalties for anyone who breaks striped bass rules and empowers local law enforcement.

2. It sets a full catch and release only season for striped bass from December 1 through March 31. Statewide. Every river. Every tributary in Connecticut. This no-harvest season would give the stock some breathing room it desperately needs while low recruitment continues to hammer the coastwide population.

3. The bill adds a targeted bait fishing ban in the Housatonic River downstream of Derby Dam during that same winter window. That stretch is a key staging area. Protecting it from gear types that are highly effective and display a higher rate of release mortality is common sense.

If you fish Connecticut waters or care about striped bass anywhere on the coast, now is the time to act. Call or email your senator today. Tell them to bring Raised Bill 5333 to the floor and pass the striped bass protections without delay. This is one of those moments where a single state can lead the way.

Learn more here:

https://www.saltwaterguidesassociation.com/will-connecticut-senate-conserve-striped-bass/



Photo: Nick Jones Photography

04/28/2026

📅 The ASMFC 2026 Spring Meeting is almost here! Join us May 4–6 in Arlington, VA (or tune in virtually).

📝 The final agenda and meeting materials are now posted, covering everything from Atlantic menhaden and tautog management to striped bass updates and more.

💻 Note: The webinar platform has recently changed—be sure to review the updated participant instructions before joining.

💬 Opportunities for public comment will be available throughout the meeting for those interested in sharing input.

👉 Visit the meeting page for info on how to watch, participate, and stay updated: https://asmfc.org/events/2026-spring-meeting/

04/21/2026

By Rick Crawford Before I launched Emerger Strategies in 2016, I assessed the major brands in the fly fishing industry based on what I found on their websites and determined that most were giving back to conservation, but hardly any were doing anything to clean up their own act. This is larg...

04/21/2026

DNREC Revises 2026-2027 Black Sea Bass Recreational Fishing Regulations for Compliance With Fishery Management Plan

DNREC is revising recreational fishing state regulations for black sea bass to reflect a greater abundance of the species for anglers to catch. However, DNREC cautions that federal regulations may or may not change to match the state regulations by the time the season opens May 1.

04/16/2026

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance for NOAA Fisheries' consideration in its deliberations pertaining to development and maintenance of enduring and sustainable high quality saltwater recreational fisheries.

04/16/2026

From our colleagues at the ASGA ...

Today, the Louisiana House Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment heard four bills focused on menhaden management.

Three advanced:
House Bill 757
House Bill 872
House Bill 886

One did not:
House Bill 855 (minimum depth requirement) failed on a 45–48 vote.

The conversations around the menhaden fishery in Louisiana do little justice to the devastating impact of its boundless operations. A major theme throughout today’s discussion was redfish bycatch. And while you likely won't hear much about it, on the very same day, House Resolution 5 moved forward. This resolution opens the door for rodeos to once again kill large redfish, nearly a year after their harvest was outlawed by the state.

The ASGA community has been consistent with our stance: the Gulf menhaden fishery needs meaningful reform, not just buffer tweaks or one-off measures. It needs a legitimate harvest quota, improved monitoring and more accountability. And with the current state of the fishery, there is no room for the expansion of the bull red harvest.

More coverage on these decisions to follow.



Photo: Bryant Turffs

04/15/2026

If I was starting over Fly fishing advice for my younger self by Todd Tanner - Tuesday, Apr 14th, 2026 Photo: Jeremy Roberts. While it’s still a little hard for me to believe, I’ve actually been fly fishing since Ronald Reagan was president. And the fact that I’ve been at it so long — I star...