|
NMMA recently submitted comments to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the National Park Service regarding the Proposed Fisheries Management Plan for Biscayne National Park. In the filing, NMMA outlines its support for a comprehensive set of guidelines that ensures public access, sustainable fishing and natural resource protection.
Biscayne National Park (BNP) is the nation’s largest recreational marine park in the National Park System. Located off the coast of Miami, Florida, Biscayne National Park draws visitors from throughout the metropolitan area, Florida, and world. Fisheries decisions and aquatic environmental conditions have a direct impact on the marine industry, including the ability of businesses to expand and customers to get out on the water.
According to NMMA, the proposed plan appropriately involves both state and federal management agencies, is backed by sound fisheries science, and balances needed conservation reform with public access. NMMA believes the proposed Fisheries Management Plan is a superior plan for sustainable fishing and natural resource protection because it looks at the entirety of the Park ecosystem, as opposed to misguided marine reserve that was published in 2015.
NMMA’s full comments are available here and address the following:
NMMA applauds the efforts of the National Parks Service and FWC for continuing to maintain a high degree of transparency and stakeholder involvement as this robust fisheries management plan is formed. Additionally, NMMA is calling on the FWC to vote in favor of this plan at the February commission meeting.
For more information, please contact NMMA senior vice president of government and legal affairs, Nicole Vasilaros at nvasilaros@nmma.org or NMMA manager of southeast policy and engagement, Lee Gatts at lgatts@nmma.org.