HB 5108 introduced, puts Michigan’s fishing heritage at risk
MICHIGAN’S SPORTFISHING HERITAGE IS AT RISK
New legislation dropped today in the Michigan House would put Michigan’s $2.3 billion dollar annual recreational angling industry and our fishing heritage at risk.
HB 5108, sponsored by Rep. Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor), would allow for the state-licensed commercial take of game fish, including lake trout, smallmouth, panfish, walleye, perch and other game fish.
These sport fish are planted, reared and/or managed by using recreational angler monies through fishing license sales and the Dingell-Johnson Sportfishing Act, which levies an excise tax on fishing equipment and is apportioned back to states for fisheries work.
This legislation would have an immeasurable impact on our recreational fishery and outdoor heritage, as well as the 171,000+ jobs it supports.
For MUCC and its members this issue is as serious as it gets, said policy assistant Justin Tomei.
“Short of an outright ban on fishing this piece of legislation is as bad as it gets. This is a five alarm fire,” said Tomei. “Supporters of the bill are peddling the narrative that we need to protect our commercial fishing heritage. But in Michigan the recreational fishery has an impact on the economy and our heritage several orders of magnitude larger.”
Similar legislation was attempted once before, and conservationists like yourself helped stop the legislation before it got any real traction and instead moved a commercial fishing package that protected game species.
Clicking the link above will send you to MUCC’s call to action page, where you can send a letter to your state senator, as well as the author of the bill, telling them not to allow the commercial take of Michigan’s prized gamefish.
Send your representative a message, take a stand for our fishing heritage.
The game fish need to be left alone it’s hard enough out there as it is makes no sense to make it even worse not to mention what will do to the already bad economy leave them alone
We’re selling our water and giving it away now we’re going to get rid of all our fish what next. Michigan needs to keep their natural restores as much as possible. This is where we live we need to take care of it!
What is wrong with you politicians. You are supposed to help our state and not sell off our fish and game. For what. Do we need money so bad that we need to sell our fish. Wake up and support our sportsmen enviorment.
As part of the lscwa we donate time and money working with the dnr to keep our fishery healthy for our mich residents and tourists
You can not allow comercial harvest of our fish it would deplete lake st Clair quickly and there will be nothing left to harvest.
Wake up
Commercial overfishing has decimated fish stocks around the whole planet. Stupid humans never learn from their mistakes
What is wrong with you politicians. You are supposed to help our state and not sell off our fish and game. For what. Do we need money so bad that we need to sell our fish. Wake up and support our sportsmen enviorment.
Why on earth would anyone in any great lakes state, especially politicians, let this happen? Its no secret that politicians follow the money. Are they ignorant to the amount of revenue generated by the sport fishing in the great lakes area? Do they want to introduce havoc and resentment between recreational fisherman and commercial boats? Makes no sense.
As a member of the Detroit area steelheaders, I strongly erg you not to pass hb5108. It has taken 60 or more years to get our fisheries back to were they are now. Doesn’t make much sense to give up a 2 billion dollar recreational fishery for a 5 to 10 million dollar net fishery that will only get smaller as they deplete the fish stocks. SAVE OUR RESCOURCES
I am old enough to remember the depleted fisheries of Michigan in the yesteryears. Horrible, it was horrible!
Our state of Michigan worked with fishermen, conservationists, environmentalists and everyday people to rebuild our fisheries. We all have mostly succeeded, although the perch fishery is in a pretty good down cycle We all worked so hard, and now we have another group of politicians trying to cash in, or cave in to the small, but well heeled commercial fishing industry. What an aberration. Give up 25% of our walleyes, perch, lake trout and more, to commercial interests. Our state is doing very well financially, many businesses are booming because of the good fishing
Opportunities And now politicians want to stop this!!! Just doesn’t make sense!! I urge the complete rejection of house bill 5108 and the politicians sponsoring and supporting this bill be admonished and next voting cycle be voted out of office!
We need a Department of Common Sense.
Next inland lakes and then the rivers, How much under-the-table money is this politician getting from a special lobbyist? Enough of this stealing resources!
It’s hard enough to catch fish as it is, this will make it harder for people that enjoy the sport. Enough is enough
Keep hands off game fish they kill enough in their nets know. And look what they did to the perch its not the walleyes
Gill nets catch all fish, not just a specific species. Think about that.
Tony Maciag . I strongly oppose HB 5108. We are finally seeing excellent walleye and perch fishing here in the Saginaw bay and it seems that this form of indiscriminate harvest only serves a select few rather than those who have invested in restoration of this world class fishery! We appreciate being able to enjoy this fishery which sportsmen have created and the amazing boost to our local economy which it provides. Please strongly consider those you represent concerning this bill.