Policy Letters 2006-2017

See also: Recent Policy Letters (2017-present)

The American Fisheries Society occasionally sends correspondence to national leadership regarding major policy issues. These letters typically address more timely matters in which professional, objective information is required for improved decision-making.

“AFS LETTER” is in reference to letters in which AFS is the main author (letters sent by specific AFS chapters include that Chapter’s name following “AFS LETTER”);

“JOINT LETTER” is in reference to letters that AFS has co-authored or signed onto;

“JOINT TESTIMONY” is in reference to testimony that AFS has co-authored or signed onto;

“RESPONSE LETTER” is in reference to letters responding to letters AFS authored, co-authored, or signed onto.

Appropriations

• JOINT LETTER – 2017 Sportsmen’s Conservation Groups FY18 budget letter
• JOINT LETTER – 2017 Recommendations to President Trump FY18-21 Annual Appropriations
• JOINT LETTER – 2011 Summary of Agency Budget Priorities for FY13 (doc)
• JOINT LETTER – 2011 President Obama Sportsmen Act Letter (doc)
• JOINT LETTER – 2010 NOAA’s FY11 Restoration Senate Appropriations Letter 1 (pdf) 
• JOINT TESTIMONY – 2009 Written testimony Regarding FY10 State Wildlife Grants Appropriation for State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program (pdf)

Climate Change / Ocean Acidification

• AFS LETTER – 2013 Letter to President Obama Concerning Climate Change 
  • RESPONSE LETTER- 2013 White House Response Letter Re AFS Climate Change Letter to President Obama
• JOINT LETTER – 2013 Letter to President Obama Concerning Climate Change Adaptation (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2011 RESTORE the Gulf Coast Act of 2011 – House FishNet Letter (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2011 SAFE Act Final Sign-on Letter (doc)
• JOINT LETTER – 2011 NCADAC National Climate Assessment Development and Advisory Committee Letter 16 May 2011 Ocean Acidification v2 (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2010 Support Letter to EPA to Address Ocean Acidification Under CWA Section 303 (d)
• JOINT LETTER – 2010 Ocean Acidification Under CWA Section 303 (d) (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2009 House Climate Legislation Letter (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2009 Comments to EPA on Ocean Acidification (pdf)

Endangered Species

• AFS LETTER – 2008 Number of Imperiled Freshwater and Diadromous Fishes Grows Dramatically (pdf)
• AFS LETTER – 2008 American Fisheries Society Urges Department of the Interior to Reconsider Proposed Endangered Species Act Rules Changes (pdf)

Energy and Conservation

• AFS LETTER – 2015 Letter to Sec. John Kerry Concerning KSM Mine (pdf)
• AFS LETTER – 2014 Pebble Mining Mount Polley Comments to USEPA Region X (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2012 Letter to Secretary Ken Salazar Concerning Oil Shale (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2009 Letter to Senators Stabenow, Baucus, Klobuchar, Brown, and Begich Concerning Carbon Conservation Legislation (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2009 Renewable Energy Mitigation Fund Letter to Sen Rahall (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2009 Support Letter for American Clean Energy and Security Act to Chairman Peterson and Ranking Member Lucas
• AFS LETTER – 2009 Mining Letter to President Obama Concerning ACOE and Alaska (pdf)
• AFS LETTER – 2008 Letter to EPA Administrator Johnson Concerning  Amendment to Stream Buffer Zone Rule (SBZ)
• JOINT LETTER – 2007 Group Support Letter for Energy Independence Act and Wildlife Survival Act (pdf)

Ethics

• JOINT LETTER – 2011 Professional Society Letter to Office of Government Ethics (pdf)
• AFS LETTER – 2010 OSTP Office of Science and Technology Policy – Issues Scientific Integrity Memo (pdf)

Farm Bill

• JOINT LETTER – 2012 Joint Letter to Congress – Sportsmen Farm Bill (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2012 Letter on Senate Package  (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2012 Sportsmen’s Support Letter for Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2012 LWCF-RESTORE House Sportsmen Letter (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2011 Reid Letter Water Quality and the Farm Bill (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2011 Farm Bill AWCP-ARRM Support Letter II (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2010 Sportsmen House Floor Vote (pdf)

Fire

• AFS LETTER – 2008 To Congress For Wildland Fire Operations (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2008 Group Sign-on Supplemental Letter (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2008 Final Emergency Supplemental Sign On (pdf)

Fisheries 

• JOINT LETTER – 2016 Written Submission on Fisheries Act Review
• JOINT LETTER – 2011 Letter of Support to Congressman and Woman for all feasible management options for local fishermen and managers

Fish Habitat

• AFS LETTER – 2016 USACE Nationwide Permits Comment Letter
• JOINT LETTER – 2011 Public Comments to ERA Estuary Habitat Restoration Draft Strategy (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2010 NFHCA Senate Letter of Support (pdf)
• AFS-DAKOTA LETTER – 2010 Dakota Chapter Resolution on NFHAP National Reservoir Fish Habitat Partnerships (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2009 FishNet NFHCA Letter of Support National Fish Habitat Conservation Act (pdf)
• AFS-OREGON LETTER – 2009 Support Letter for National Fish Habitat Conservation Act (S. 1214/H.R. 2565)
• AFS-OREGON LETTER – 2009 Letter to Congress Urging Support of National Fish Habitat Conservation Act (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2009 NFHCA National Fisheries Habitat Conservation Act – Hrg Request Cardin (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2009  NFHCA National Fisheries Habitat Conservation Act -Hrg Request Boxer (pdf)

Fish Hatcheries

• JOINT LETTER – 2011 TVA Hatcheries Follow Up (pdf)
  • RESPONSE LETTER- 2011 TVA Hatcheries

Fish Health

• AFS LETTER – 2010 Endocrine Disruption Prevention Act 2009 Support Letter to President Obama (pdf)

Fish Passage / Hydropower 

• AFS WESTERN DIVISION LETTER – 2014 Comment Letter to Ponganis and Ryan Concerning Effects of Intake Dam on Recovery of Pallid Sturgeon
• JOINT LETTER – 2012 Fish Passage Training Support Letter (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2011 Fish Passage Training Support Letter (pdf)
• AFS WESTERN DIVISION LETTER – 2009 Letter to Lubchenco Concerning Hydro Projects and Dams (pdf)

Invasive and Nonindigenous Fish

• AFS LETTER – 2016 Vessel Incidental Discharge Act
• AFS LETTER – 2013 HR. 996 Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act
• AFS LETTER – 2007 Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act (pdf)

Land Management

• JOINT LETTER – 2011 SUPPORT LETTER to Bingaman for S 714, FLTFA Federal Land Transaction Faciilitation Reauthorization, May 2011 (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2010 Public Lands Commercial Filming Activities on Federal Lands and Waterways – Senate 1241 (doc)
• JOINT LETTER – 2009 Planning Letter to Provide Proper Stewardship for the Nations National Forests and Grasslands (pdf)
  • RESPONSE LETTER – 2009 Secretary Vilsacks Reply to Our Planning Letter (pdf)
• AFS LETTER – 2009 Conservation Easement Incentive Act (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2009 NFHCA Omnibus Support Letter – Public Land Management Act (pdf)

Participation and Partnerships

• JOINT LETTER – 2011 Thank You For Your Support – Final Sign-on Letter to Holdren Re-Professional Society Participation (doc)

Recreational Issues

• JOINT LETTER – 2010 RBFF Letter of Support Concerning Recreational Boating and Fishing Liaison (pdf)
• AFS-UTAH LETTER – 2009 Letter on H.B. 187 Recreational Use of Public Waters on Private Property (pdf)
• AFS LETTER – 2009 Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act – Agriculture (pdf)
• AFS LETTER – 2009 Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act – Natural Resources (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2009 Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act – Senate – Nat Res (pdf)

Sportsmen’s Act of 2012

• JOINT LETTER- 2012 Joint Letter to Senate – Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 – (S. 3525) (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2012  Joint Letter to Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell – WCP Sportsman Package Vote  (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2012 Letter on Sportsmen Act Amendment (pdf)
• JOINT LETTER – 2012 Senate Climate Change Letters for AWCP:FishNet Orgs Sign-on Consideration regarding the Sportsman Act of 2012 (pdf)

Water Quality

• JOINT LETTER – 2008 Ballast Water Letter (pdf)
• AFS LETTER – 2007 Clean Water Restoration Act Letter (pdf)

Wetlands

• JOINT LETTER – 2017 Letter to Congress on WOTUS
• JOINT LETTER – 2017 Letter to President Trump on WOTUS
• JOINT LETTER – 2017 Letter to EPA Admin. Pruitt on WOTUS
• JOINT LETTER – 2016 Sportsmen and Conservation Groups Oppose CRA S.J.Res.22 1.11.16 (1)
• JOINT LETTER – 2015 Opposition to Senate Joint Resolution 22 (Clean Water Rule)
• JOINT LETTER – 2013 Letter to President Obama – CWA Rule Support (pdf)