On April 6, 2017, the Modern Fish Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Garret Graves (R-La.), Gene Green (D-Tex.), Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) and Rob Wittman (R-Va.).  Officially known as the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2017, H.R. 2023 addresses many of the most critical challenges facing saltwater recreational anglers in federal waters. 

UPDATE – On December 13, 2017, the Modern Fish Act was approved by the House Natural Resources Committee as part of H.R. 200.

A companion bill, S. 1520, was introduced in the U.S. Senate on July 11, by Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), John Kennedy (R-La.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).

Rather than continuing to manage recreational fishing in the same way as commercial fishing – much like the proverbial square peg and the round hole – the new bill is a comprehensive package designed to provide federal managers with the tools and data they need to effectively manage America’s 11 million saltwater anglers.

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