Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new effort to encourage owners and operators of privately held farm, ranch and forest land to voluntarily provide public access to land for the enjoyment of wildlife-dependent recreation, including hunting or fishing, under programs implemented by state or tribal governments.

On July 19, 2010, the White House's Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force released its final report on a new national policy with the stated goals of ensuring protection, maintenance and restoration of the nation’s oceans, coastal areas and the Great Lakes. Over the past year, the recreational fishing and boating community provided substantial input to the Task Force, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and advocated that the social, economic, public health and conservation benefits of sustainable use of our nation’s public resources receive priority consideration in the new coastal and ocean management policy.

NOAA Fisheries has asked the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) to remind our members and the saltwater angling community that the new federal registry of saltwater anglers has been implemented in an effort to improve statistical data collection in the recreational sector.

The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF) briefed members of Congress yesterday on two simultaneous disasters impacting recreational fishing caused by the effects of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the total closure of substantial ocean fisheries by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Date changes for 2010 National Guard College Fishing Northern and Texas Regional Championships.

BASS, the worldwide authority on bass fishing, today announced that Bass Pro Shops, the world's leading supplier of outdoor gear, will build on the marketing alliance formed last year by assuming title sponsorship of the Bassmaster Opens in 2010-2011. With the agreement, final-day weigh-ins of select Bassmaster Open events will be held at Bass Pro Shops stores.

BASS, the worldwide authority on bass fishing, today announced that Nitro Boats will serve as a supporting sponsor of Bassmaster Elite Series and Bassmaster Opens events in 2010-11.

The new season of the Skeeter Bass Champs Television show will begin Today, Monday, April 5th.   If you have not subscribed to WFN yet,  click here to get set up before the new Bass Champs season begins.  Bass Champs Television features top anglers and tournaments on famous lakes all over the Southern United States and Mexico.  In addition, you will learn the latest tips and techniques from winning anglers and what new baits and tricks that will help you become a better angler.

A controversy has erupted in the sport fishing community over a new federal management plan for oceans and Great Lakes waters. Recent opinion pieces circulating on the internet and reported on numerous radio stations have stoked the flames through revelations that the policy, if implemented, would prohibit recreational fishing within vast areas of public water.

Within the next 30 – 60 days, the Obama Administration is planning to issue a final report, and possibly other management guidance, intended to govern the management of the nation’s oceans, coastal areas and Great Lakes. The plan originated in June 2009, when President Obama created the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force.