Urge the White House to Safeguard Recreational Fishing says the ASA

Not a complete stranger to a fly rod, President Obama trys out a new gift from Whitehouse staff.

Within the next few weeks, the Obama Administration is planning to issue a final report, and possibly other policy guidance, outlining the administration's plans to manage the nation's oceans, coastal areas and Great Lakes.

The plan started with a presidential memo released in June 2009 that ordered the development of a national ocean policy through the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force.

The task force, led by the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, was charged with developing a national policy for conserving and managing the United States ocean territory and the Great Lakes.

The White House is in the final stages of developing the final report, which must balance sustainable uses with ocean and Great Lakes conservation.

Go to www.keepamericafishing.org to send a letter to President Obama and other key policy makers urging the task force to recognize and promote recreational fishing and boating in the national policy.