Dear Members of the Recreational Fishing Community,

Last spring at the Recreational Saltwater Fishing Summit, I promised the Agency would take action on issues of concern to the recreational community. I wanted to personally update you on our progress and let you know that NOAA Fisheries takes your input seriously.

Please take a moment to view my brief message and download our new report Recreational Fisheries at NOAA: A Growing Legacy, which details our actions and accomplishments of the past year. The report is available here.

In the year ahead, NOAA Fisheries will continue to work on priority issues, such as recreational data collection, implementation of annual catch limits, and allocation issues, while visibly expanding our regional efforts. To kick start regional efforts, we will develop regional recreational action plans in consultation with recreational community that will complement our national Action Agenda. The regional action plans will allow for focused attention on regional recreational issues and priorities in the places most important to you-where you live, work, and fish.

Please take a moment to review the progress report and let us know your thoughts by contacting Russ Dunn (Russell.Dunn@noaa.gov), my National Policy Advisor for Recreational Fisheries.

My staff and I look forward to continuing the conversation and working with you toward a bright future.

Sincerely,

Eric Schwaab
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries
NOAA Fisheries Service

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