New legislation aims to create new opportunities for anglers
Share
Improved access to water, one of the biggest concerns for the 60 million or so anglers in the US, is the aim of new legislation just introduced into Congress.
The EXPLORE Act (Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences) seeks to enhance and expand access to federal lands and create new opportunities for anglers and boaters.
The bipartisan act was introduced by Bruce Westerman (Republican, Arkansas) and Raul Grijalva (Democrat, Arizona). Together with the Outdoor Recreation Act in the Senate, it will support access to America’s federal lands and waters for decades to come.
“Congress has a tremendous opportunity to bolster the nation’s $1.1 trillion outdoor recreation economy through passage of the EXPLORE Act,” said Glenn Hughes, President of the American Sportfishing Association (ASA).
“Well managed and accessible federal lands are vital to recreational fishing and boating, which is the largest contributor to the outdoor recreation economy.”
The bill applies to federal lands including those managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation and the US Forest Service.
The ASA describes the legislation as “one of the most significant opportunities for our federal lands and waters in a long time” and is urging people to contact their members of Congress to garner support.
