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Desmond and Schwaab discuss many the pressing issues of concern to saltwater recreational anglers. It is a comprehensive look at the work NOAA is doing and what it means for recreational fishing.

Here is a list of the topics they discuss:

• Fishery closures
• Stock assessment data and budgets
• Better management practices
• Re-authorization of Magnuson-Stevens Act
• Possible revisions to the act
• Economic impact of closures
• Why did NMFS fall behind in stock assessments?
• More on budgets for stock assessments
• Meeting with Senator Schumer and angler constituents in New York
• NOAA enforcement review and the Inspector General’s Reports
• Oceans Policy Taskforce
• NOAA’s legacy

You can see his gallery and commentary from his adventures in DC, the Chesapeake Bay and the Rapidan. I really appreciate Rick giving a shout out to the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture!

Photos from our trip on the Rapidan start at number 15

The announcement was made on Gary and Ellen Lohr’s Valley Pike Farm overlooking the Valley in Broadway as part of the implementation of the Obama administration’s “Strategy for Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed” released last May.

Ann Mills, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, made the announcement.

“Making these announcements from a local farm is more than a symbolic gesture,” Mills said. “Nearly 75 percent of the land in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is in private farms and forests. The showcase watersheds strengthen USDA’s commitment to funding priority conservation practices in places that will do the most good for water quality in the Bay and its tributaries.”

In May 2009, President Obama signed The Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration Executive Order declaring the Chesapeake Bay a national treasure and requiring a coordinated strategy for restoration and protection.

The executive order directed federal agencies to “define environmental goals for the Chesapeake Bay and describe milestones for making progress toward attainment of these goals.” The strategy focuses on achieving four essential priorities for a healthy Chesapeake ecosystem — restore clean water, recover habitat, sustain fish and wildlife and conserve land and increase public access.

One of the goals in the strategy that caught my attention and led to my attending the announcement on the Lohr’s farm was to, “Sustain healthy populations of fish and wildlife, which contribute to a resilient ecosystem and vibrant economy”.

One of the outcomes for that goal was “restoring naturally reproducing brook trout populations in headwater streams … by 2025.” Because of my involvement with the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture I was thrilled to see brook trout recovery efforts as a key outcome for Cheasapeake Bay Watershed efforts.

Eighteen months ago I wrote about the efforts of the EBTJV and the National Fish Habitat Action Plan, noted the work at Smith Creek and what it means to the Valley. At the time I wrote “Working cooperatively with ten diverse partners, the project is helping restore riparian habitat at the headwaters of Smith Creek. This project connects to Mountain Run in the George Washington National Forest as well, providing additional spawning habitat for those Brook Trout.”

Smith Creek also gained national attention in 2007 as one the first of the NFHAP “10 Waters to Watch”.

Now Smith Creek will be getting additional attention and funding and can serve as a model for other efforts across the state and country. Of course having Smith Creek as a Showcase Watershed adds additional incentive for implementing the National Fish Habitat Action Plan.

The NFHAP can build upon the successes of Smith Creek and the two other Showcase Watersheds, the 23,000-acre Upper Chester River Watershed in Maryland and the 34,000-acre Conewago Creek Watershed in Pennsylvania and leverage those models into additional aquatic habitat conservation across the country.

Now is the time for Federal agencies with responsibility managing aquatic habitat to increase their efforts to implement the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. Coordination among those agencies will promote stewardship and improve the health of our Nation’s aquatic habitat.

Perhaps it is time for an Executive Order to implement the NFHAP.

If the administration leads the way then maybe Congress will get the message and pass the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act.

It should come as no surprise and serve as a point of pride that conservation efforts here in the Valley get national recognition. There is a long and treasured tradition of stewardship and respect for the land and the natural resource bounty it provides.

That tradition and the connection to the land were never more evident than on the Lohr’s farm last week.

You can read more of my columns at the News Virginian.com.

The second week, we had the pleasure of spending 5 days with Craig Copeland and Charlotte Jenkins of Industry and Investment New South Wales. They took my wife and I on a tour of some of the fish habitat projects they have been working on. It was a great opportunity to see how our Australian colleagues are dealing with the challenges of dwindling fish habitat. We went to sites in the Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central West, Hunter Valley and wound up at Lake Macquarie for the forum.

I also had a chance to be part of a panel discussion with some notable Australian recreational fishing pros and give a presentation on fish habitat activity in the U.S., especially the National Fish Habitat Action Plan and the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture.

i sound smarter with a beer in front of me....

I even managed to get a little press coverage of my visit:  US expert says conservation is give and take.

It was a wonderful opportunity to see Australia both on our own and with some liked minded conservationists and to trade ideas and stories about two things I really enjoy, fishing and conservation.

Here is the message from Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, regarding Eric’s appointment:

“It gives me great pleasure to Eric Schwaab as the new assistant administrator for fisheries. We are excited to have someone with Eric’s experience and proven leadership to bring a fresh perspective to the management of NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. Eric will lead NOAA’s efforts to rebuild our fisheries and the jobs and livelihoods that depend on them. His immediate priorities include improving outreach and relationships with recreational and commercial fishermen, better aligning federal and regional fisheries priorities, restoring confidence in fisheries law enforcement, and promoting management approaches that will achieve both sustainable fisheries and vibrant coastal communities.

Eric brings more than 25 years of experience in local, state and federal natural resource management. He has spent the majority of his career at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, where he began as a natural resources police law enforcement officer in 1983. He eventually served as director of the Maryland Forest Service; director of the Maryland Forest, Wildlife and Heritage Service; and director of the Maryland Fisheries Service.

In 2003, Eric left the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to serve as resource director for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies until 2007. He then returned to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources as the deputy secretary. Eric has also served as a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee.

Eric is a creative and proven manager, consensus builder and leader. He has developed and implemented solutions to address challenges in regional habitat restoration, including Chesapeake Bay restoration issues, fish and wildlife conservation, public lands management, natural resources law enforcement, public agency administration, strategic planning and leadership development.

I am excited to welcome Eric to the NOAA family. He will work with NOAA leadership, the fisheries service, his fellow assistant administrators and our many constituents to further our efforts to protect and manage the nation’s fisheries, our other trust resources including marine mammals and sea turtles, and the ecosystems upon which they depend. Welcome Eric!

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to Dr. Jim Balsiger, the acting assistant administrator, for his superb and sustained leadership. Jim has led the fisheries service for over two years in this capacity, far from his home in Alaska, and done so with distinction. He was especially instrumental in engaging the fishery management councils in the process of developing the draft catch shares policy.

Dr. Balsiger will soon return to his position as NOAA Fisheries’ regional administrator for Alaska, but before doing so will assist Eric with his transition into the fisheries service and NOAA. I’d also like to thank the entire team at NOAA Fisheries who have done an excellent job during this period.”

The National Fish Habitat Action Plan is one of the best efforts to address the challenges of conserving important aquatic habitat.

Protecting, enhancing and restoring aquatic habitat is important because it not only helps protect drinking water supplies that are essential for human health, it is the foundation for water-based recreation.

Those of us who hunt and fish know how important clean water, wetlands and the areas along our favorite rivers and streams are. We know firsthand that healthy aquatic habitat is a key factor in our hunting and fishing success.

Last month, I participated in a conference to review the status of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. The conference, held in Leesburg, gave federal agency representatives, members of the various fish habitat partnerships and other stakeholders a chance to review what was working, to learn how to improve the effectiveness of the partnerships and to plan for the first major report to Congress.

The NFHAP has some important goals to achieve in the next year, including completing an analysis of the nation’s fish habitats; identifying the priority fish habitats; establishing at least twelve Fish Habitat Partnerships in those priority areas; and preparing a “Status of Fish Habitats in the United States” report.

All this needs to been completed by the end of 2010. The good news is it looks like the NFHAP is on track to complete these tasks.

The National Fish Habitat Action Plan’s mission is “to protect, restore and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation and improve the quality of life for the American people.”

The NFHAP grew out of an initiative championed by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in September 2003. They took on the task of developing a national strategy and coordinating existing efforts into a cohesive initiative. The resulting National Fish Habitat Initiative became “a science-based, voluntary and non-regulatory, nationwide strategy.”

The initiative was endorsed by a variety of stakeholders, many State fish and wildlife agency leaders, national conservation organizations and Federal agencies such as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

In April of 2006 the National Fish Habitat Action Plan was established by agreement with the Departments of Interior and Commerce and Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. A governing board was set up and guidelines for the establishment of recognized partnerships were created. Projects from the various partnerships are reviewed by the NFHAP board who then make funding recommendations to the federal agencies.

Legislation, know as the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, to codify the NFHAP and authorize project funding – at $75 million annually – was introduced in Congress this spring.

Here in the Valley the Fish Habitat Partnership you are most likely to hear about is the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture. I am pleased to serve as the vice-chairman for the joint venture and am proud of the work that has been accomplished since it began.

Recently, the EBTJV recommended funding for a project here on the North River above Elkhorn Reservoir. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved that funding and the money should be available to the state soon.

Historically, sections of the North River were among the best and largest native brook trout water in Virginia. Back in the 1950s and 60s the North River was “straightened” so floodwaters could be quickly removed from a road that had been built in the flood plain. The U.S. Forest Service has since relocated the road and the channels no longer are needed.

The state, working with the U.S. Forest Service and local conservation groups like Trout Unlimited are restoring sections of the river to the natural pool and riffle configuration and provide summer refuge for the brook trout. When the project is complete, several native brook trout tributaries will also have been connected.

We are fortunate here in the Valley to have an abundance of hunting and fishing opportunities. Because of the hard work of your friends and neighbors who support local hunting, fishing and conservation groups those opportunities will continue to improve.

You can read more of my columns at News Virginian.com

The National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, H.R. 2565 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on May 21, by Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI).

The National Fish Habitat Partnerships are one step closer to congressional authorization. The legislation provides $75 million annually for fish habitat projects. The funding will help existing partnerships like the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture and the Western Native Trout Initiative do more on the ground projects. Future fish habitat partnerships will also be able to tap into these funds as well.

A companion bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate in early June. 

This was the ninth year that the American Fly Fishing Trade Association had gathered on the banks of the Potomac river to celebrate fly-fishing and an aquatic habitat success story, the return of prolific runs of American and Hickory shad to the Potomac river.

This was a special year for those of us who, under Range’s leadership, started the Casting Call. AFFTA’s board of directors, after conferring with the Range family and his friends, decided to rename the event in Range’s honor.

Jim Range was a widely recognized conservation visionary who represented AFFTA in Washington. He was a hero to many in the hunting, fishing and conservation community.

I wrote in this column at the time of his death that he was like a brother to me. The best man in my wedding, a hunting and fishing partner of many years, and the voice on the other end of the phone keeping me strong when trouble came. I still feel that way today and know many more who do as well.

Range saw the Casting Call and its venue, Fletcher’s boathouse on the Potomac, as the perfect opportunity for the fly-fishing industry to educate members of congress and administration officials on the important nexus between conservation and economic activity.

He knew as well that the partnership efforts that had gone into restoring shad to the Potomac were a model that could be replicated across the nation.

“The Jim Range National Casting Call gives us a chance to get government decision-makers on the Potomac to see and experience the aquatic resource we all cherish,” said Alan Gnann, Chairman of the Board of AFFTA. “It was our friend Jim who showed us that this was the best way to communicate the importance of aquatic habitat and fisheries and we will continue this tradition in his name and his honor.”

Around the time of the first casting call, the federally chartered Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council, of which Range was a member, recommended that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service develop a partnership effort similar to the successful North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

This effort, endorsed by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and supported by numerous conservation organization and federal agencies became the National Fish Habitat Action Plan.

The Action Plan is a science-based voluntary effort to address the challenges facing aquatic habitat and our nation’s fisheries. There are six regional partnerships, including the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture that works here in the Valley.

Range saw the newly created National Fish Habitat Action Plan as an exceptional example of how partnerships like the one that had helped the shad could be replicated across the country. He saw the National Casting Call as a great opportunity to showcase success.

“The National Fish Habitat Action Plan’s approach – teaming federal, state and local partners – is helping to bring fishable waters back to life in a faster more strategic way. We can see real progress in treating the causes of fish habitat decline, not just the symptoms,” said Kelly Hepler, Chairman, National Fish Habitat Action Plan. “The Jim Range National Casting Call gives NFHAP the opportunity to spotlight 10 specific projects that display on the ground work that can be held high as a vision of what quality habitat should be.”

The Action Plan’s 10 “Waters to Watch” was started in 2007. It highlights examples of aquatic habitat conservation efforts of the National Fish Habitat Partnerships. In addition the NFHAP board presents two group awards and two individual awards including newly renamed Jim Range Conservation Vision Award, given this year to world- renowned conservationist Yvon Chouinard, the founder of outdoor clothing manufacturer Patagonia Inc.

Jim Range was deeply missed at this year’s Casting Call, but his name and legacy live on in tribute to his memory.

You can read more of my columns at News Virginian.com