In the next few days, the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the most comprehensive package of sportsmen’s legislation in recent years, and we need your help to get it passed.
The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 includes 15 bills that will benefit the sportfishing community, providing for increased access, habitat conservation and improved fish and wildlife management.
“This omnibus bill does so much for anglers, hunters and those who simply love being outdoors,” said Noreen Clough, national conservation director for B.A.S.S. “Most important to our work at B.A.S.S. is S. 1201, the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, which authorizes the National Fish Habitat Partnership. B.A.S.S. is especially active in these partnerships, particularly the National Reservoir Fish Habitat Partnership and its accompanying Friends of Reservoirs organization. This authorization will formally authorize and permit separate funding for NFHP, helping to ensure its future and effectiveness in conserving fish and aquatic communities.”
In addition to the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, two individual bills of particular importance to the sportfishing community in the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 are the following:
- The Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act, which blocks ongoing attempts to federally ban lead in recreational fishing equipment and ammunition by amending the Toxic Substances Control Act.
- Making Public Lands Public Act, which increases access for angling, hunting and recreational shooting on federal lands by directing 1.5 percent of the Land and Water Conservation Fund to ensure access to fishing, hunting and other recreational activities.
To help, contact your U.S. senators and ask them to vote YES on S3525. Click here to get your senator’s phone and fax numbers or to e-mail them a preprinted message.