U.S. COASTAL FISHERMEN TO RALLY IN DC MARCH 21

RFA-NJ To Host Public Forum Tonight At AC Boat Show At 6 pm


(February 2, 2012) In another historic show of solidarity, U.S. recreational and commercial fishermen will gather at Upper Senate Park in Washington DC on March 21, 2012 starting at noon in an organized demonstration supporting sensible reform of the Magnuson Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Stevens Act).



According to the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) which is helping organize this year's event, permitting efforts have been underway for weeks and official confirmation by the Capitol Police has been received today confirming the time and location.



Tonight at 6 p.m. at the Atlantic City Boat Show, RFA executive director Jim Donofrio will be the host of a public forum to discuss fisheries management issues in the state of New Jersey, and address any public or media questions with regard to the Keep Fishermen Fishing rally set for March 21, 2012.



The Atlantic City Boat Show is being held at the Atlantic City Convention Center until 8 p.m. - visit www.acboatshow.com for show details.



A rally on February 24, 2010, under a United We Fish™ banner, brought some 5,000 recreational, commercial and party/charter vessel owners and folks in associated businesses from all over the country to Washington. More than two dozen members of the Senate and the House of Representatives took time out from their busy schedules to address the crowd.



The March 21 rally is being billed as Keep Fishermen Fishing, and once again will unite the commercial and recreational sectors under one common message, "reform Magnuson now." Organizers say there were more than 40 chartered buses filled with rally participants in 2010, with many of those buses leaving from various seaside locations in New Jersey. Efforts are once again underway to pack charter buses, which RFA hopes increases participation in the event in 2012.



"Those who didn't attend or perhaps chose not to support the original rally are mostly unaware of the great things which were accomplished in between those two winter storms of 2010," said RFA executive director Jim Donofrio. "Of the two dozen members of Congress who addressed our troops at the rally, several top legislators pushed to have Magnuson reform initiatives prioritized in Congress which is why the House Natural Resources Committee is now reviewing eight different pieces of fisheries reform legislation."



"Our coastal fisheries have been getting national headlines in the past two years, and our Keep Fishermen Fishing organizers are hoping to keep that momentum going forward in order to reform Magnuson now," Donofrio said.



For more information, visit www.keepfishermenfishing.com. You can also call the RFA headquarters at 888-564-6732. Follow the rally efforts by typing Keep Fishermen Fishing or Recreational Fishing Alliance into the search bar at Facebook.com (the RFA Facebook group page currently stands at more than 2,300 members and growing!)




About Recreational Fishing Alliance
The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.