| Please support the Freedom to Fish
legislation... April , 2004 Dear Angler: There is a growing movement among anti-fishing environmental groups to create vast networks of no fishing marine protected areas (MPAs) off our coasts. They dismiss the impacts that such closures will have on the economy and our quality of life. Currently, recreational fishermen in California are suffering from the permanent closure of some of the best fishing grounds around the Channel Islands and proponents of closures are bringing their campaign to New York. The RFA, NYFTTA, CCA, LIBBA and The United Boatman's of NJ & NY are working in Albany to make sure this doesn't happen here. We are pushing for the New York Freedom to Fish Act (A.7299). This bill prohibits closures to recreational fishing unless there is a clear indication that we are causing a specific conservation problem and minimum size requirements, bag limits, and seasons will not be adequate conservation measures. The RFA, NYFTTA, CCA, LIBBA and The United Boatman's of NJ & NY are getting results. In the last legislative session, your Freedom to Fish Act made great progress towards becoming law. We intend to get the job done this year and here is how you can make your voices heard. Please write to your key legislators and the Governor. Please also mail a copy of any correspondence to Assemblyman Robert Sweeney showing your appreciation for his sponsorship of this crucial legislation. Our freedom to fish is at stake. Together, we can help ensure that this important bill becomes law. Please send the following: Recreational fisherman have long been among New York's strongest proponents of marine conservation. Yet misguided environmental organizations are currently pushing to severely restrict recreational fishing by creating networks of no fishing marine protected areas (MPA's) off our coasts. Such closures would have a devastating impact on quality of life for millions of recreational fisherman and coastal economies with little, if any, conservation benefit. I urge you to endorse the NEW YORK FREEDOM TO FISH ACT (A.7299), which recognizes the social and economic importance of recreational fishing and establishes standards that must be met before no fishing MPA's can be implemented in New York's marine water. Sincerely, Name Address: City State Zip I FISH, I VOTE Click on the each link below to print out individual letters. Please remember to sign you name, along with your complete address. Thankyou! Assemblyman Thomas
P. DiNapoli |