Showing Up Pays Off – Albie Management

Unfortunately, The 2024 Tunny Tournament is cancelled. We aren’t going to send people out in horrible weather. While we have been working hard with participants and our sponsors to make everything right, we were also prepping our advocates for the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFAC) meeting on the 17^th. False albacore and Atlantic bonito management was on the agenda. 

MFAC’s role in Massachusetts is far reaching. From the website: “The Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFAC) “represents recreational and commercial fishing interests from various parts of the Massachusetts coast. Proposed regulatory changes affecting the management of marine fisheries are approved or disapproved by a majority vote of the MFAC.”

Massachusetts is taking a proactive role in state management of these two species. This is profound but also something that is not surprising from a state agency that we hold in such high regard. This agenda item was a long time coming. The entire community in Massachusetts has embraced our science work on these two species with a goal of providing enough information to managers so they can be on firm ground when suggesting state regulations. 

ASGA advocates representing different corners of the industry attended the meeting yesterday. We had guides, staff, manufacturers like Hogy Lures and retail shops like Saltwater Edge give incredible in person testimony that was professional, insightful and grateful. We also had comments emailed in from members of our community that were working on the water and unable to attend in person. 

The major take away from this meeting is that: showing up matters.  The variety of comments, the importance of the species, and the request to pursue new regulations all coalesced into one hell of a win. MFAC agreed to begin exploring what state management looks like. We don’t know what the regulations will be or when adoption will occur, but we have very strong indicators that something good is on the way. 

ASGA exists to create a big tent for conservation where all are welcome. Likewise, we try to be creative in how folks can help. You may have purchased an albie hat. Maybe you sent an email to NC or purchased an Albie Tag Team shirt. Along the way, you shared our post on social media or simply sparked conversations with your fishing buddies about the work.  No matter which actions you took, you played a role. It all matters. Showing up matters. Being educated on the issues matters. Being professional matters. What you do day-to-day continues to make a difference.

Our hope is that ten or fifteen years from now, our community will be on the water covered up in bonito and albies, knowing that you played a part in making things better for everyone. So, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are nothing without the support of the community and delivering wins that highlight the hard work from everyone is what you should expect from the ASGA team. We take our jobs very seriously and we are honored that you believe in us.  We believe in you too.