NOAA Fisheries releases Updated National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries
Policy and associated Implementation Plans
NOAA Fisheries has released an updated National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries
Policy and multi-year national and regional implementation plans that identify actionable commitments to advance our policy goals. This updated policy will help guide NOAA Fisheries’ approach to recreational fisheries by articulating our goals and principles. The original National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy was released in 2015 and required an update to remain relevant in our changing oceans. Climate change, equity and environmental justice, as well as a greater focus on expanding offshore industries (such as aquaculture and wind energy) were the key additions to the goals and guiding principles of the policy update.
Following the 2022 National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Summit, we received substantial public input on updating the Policy through in-person and online meetings with the recreational community and our management partners. The implementation plans were developed by our regional offices, science centers, and the NOAA Fisheries headquarters offices to address the particular needs of the recreational fisheries they serve. While these initial implementation plans contain almost 150 agency commitments, they are intended to be periodically updated as needs and priorities change. Their implementation will be routinely monitored to ensure agency follow-
through and accountability.
Saltwater recreational and non-commercial fishing is an integral part of American coastal life and is both a cultural cornerstone and an important economic driver in the United States. With millions of saltwater anglers from Maine to Guam, Alaska, and the Caribbean, the American saltwater recreational fishing community is as diverse and widespread as the species it pursues. Recreational fishing supports 594,000 jobs, generates $98 billion annually in sales impacts, and contributes $54.9 billion to the US Gross Domestic Product. Sustainable saltwater fisheries can only be achieved with trust and collaboration between managers and the recreational fishing community.
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Community of fishing partners, scientists, and managers. Photo credit: Mark Kalez
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