Policy News
By Thomas E. Bigford, Policy Director. One of my AFS roles is as your official liaison to three groups—the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, The Coastal Society, and the National Fish Habitat Partnership. Though interesting and valuable, those liaison roles have never been defined, as underscored in 2016 when then–AFS President Ron Essig requested liaison... Read More
Earlier this week, President Trump issued an executive order to overturn the “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule approved by the Obama administration. In anticipation of this action, which was part of the President’s agenda, AFS has worked with its partners to prepare a letter to our leaders in support of the scientific basis of... Read More
AFS is entering the third year of its most recent cooperative agreement with NOAA Fisheries. AFS has been working with NOAA Fisheries since 2015 to disseminate news about the agency’s work on ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management. We organized three congressional briefings in 2015 and are working on one for the coming months. As... Read More
On December 5th, President Obama continued to build on his legacy to protect our aquatic resources by issuing an Executive Order. The recently issued Executive Order – Safeguarding the Nation from the Impacts of Invasive Species, takes aim at existing policy given the fact that invasive species costs the U.S. billions of dollars in negative... Read More
The American Fisheries Society (AFS) today released its publication, Future of the Nation’s Fisheries and Aquatic Resources: The Challenges We Face in 2017 and Beyond, offering short and long-term solutions for protecting American aquatic habitats and helping fisheries professionals facing ongoing challenges. With recommendations for the new Presidential Administration, the document offers viable ways to... Read More
NOAA Fisheries announced final revisions to the guidelines that federal managers will use as they routinely update the nation’s marine fisheries plans. The revised federal fishery management guidelines, known as the National Standard 1 guidelines of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, are intended to provide more flexibility and be more effective in ending... Read More
WRDA is a critically important piece of legislation with regards to fish habitat projects, as well as to fish hatcheries and other important infrastructure projects. Its passage in both chambers is a positive step before Congress goes into recess. Check out local projects in your area, and find more information on each WRDA version visit... Read More
Please note that this event has been postponed and will be rescheduled soon. (Washington, D.C.) – NOAA Fisheries and the American Fisheries Society (AFS) will host a congressional issue briefing at 1:00 p.m. on October 15, 2016, in the Cannon House Office Building (Room 421) addressing the Agency policy and draft roadmap on ecosystem-based fisheries... Read More
Good news for fish and wildlife programs that have been underfunded for decades. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (HR5650) bill announced yesterday offers hope for bipartisan support that would vastly increase funding for state programs. —AFS Policy Director Tom Bigford Washington, DC (July 7, 2016) –Yesterday, Congressman Don Young (R-AK) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced the... Read More
This column has many inspirations, including a drought discussion this past February organized by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the March 2016 White House Water Summit, my own worries about how new hydrologic patterns will affect fish, and a talk by Ellen Gilinsky, senior policy advisor in the US EPA Office of Water. Read More
