NMMA Encourages Angling Advocacy Through Bass Anglers for Saltwater Conservation

Washington, D.C. – June 18, 2015 – The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) announced today is official endorsement of Bass Anglers for Saltwater Conservation (BASC), a new intuitive online advocacy system that allows fishing enthusiasts to write, call, or tweet their legislators through prewritten engagements online. The official BASC site launch was announced on June 1 by B.A.S.S.

“Bass Anglers for Saltwater Conservation is an important tool for anglers nationwide, not just bass anglers,” said Thom Dammrich, President, NMMA. “The challenges facing saltwater fishing today could turn into battles over freshwater fisheries in the future. We have been working alongside our partners in the angling community diligently to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy one of our nation’s oldest past times, fishing with their families. Recreational anglers need to ban together and speak up to protect their rights to fish, and BASC provides them with the opportunity to do just that. I encourage all anglers to visit BASC and make your voices heard today.”

By accessing Bass Anglers for Saltwater Conservation, BassforSalt.com, fishing enthusiasts can simply fill out their constituent information, and contact their legislators through the method they chose. BASC then automatically identifies the appropriate legislators and provides users with talking points for a call, a prewritten letter, or even a prewritten tweet based on the user’s preferences.

The primary threat to the future of saltwater fishing is lack of access to thriving fish stocks. One example of this is the current situation with red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. Once considered one of the most prized fish in the Gulf, red snapper’s federal season was reduced to a mere ten days in 2015. However, according to the National Marine Fisheries Services’ own numbers, the population of Gulf Red Snapper is nearing its highest level in decades. Those who oppose recreational fishing are driving situations exactly like that of red snapper throughout America’s oceans, and may soon bring the battle to freshwater fisheries. If anglers stand idly by while this happens, the opportunities to continue the sport will be greatly endangered.

Bass Anglers for Saltwater Conservation provides a simple, easy-to-use tool for anglers to stand up against misguided policies such as these. As policy battles move through our nation’s capitol, anglers and recreational fishing enthusiasts will have the ability to contact Members of Congress, the Secretary of Commerce, and even the President of the United States at the click of a mouse. To make advocating even easier, BASC will send action alerts to anglers who sign up for the newsletter, so that anglers everywhere can stay up-to-date on the policies that affect our sport. For more information, please visit BassforSalt.com or email Contact@BassforSalt.com.