On Oct. 20, President George W. Bush signed an Executive Order establishing gamefish status for red drum and striped bass in federal waters. What does that mean? Why should you care? Read on. 

Definitions, History 
All anglers know that stripers and redfish are gamefish. To anglers, 'gamefish' means fish that are fun to catch with a rod and reel. But to fishery managers, 'gamefish' means a wild fish that can be caught only by rod and reel: They can't be caught in large quantities, like with nets, and can't be sold in stores and restaurants unless farm-raised (and thus not wild). 

Until Saturday, stripers and redfish were not gamefish in federal waters, meaning they could still be caught by commercial fishermen and sold. The key word there is 'could' because any and all fishing for these species in federal waters has been banned for more than a decade. 

Why? Because everyone fished the heck out of them. Both striped bass and red drum were seriously overfished in the 1970s and into the 1980s. 
Redfish, once viewed almost as a trash fish, suffered from a cooked redfish craze which started when Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme got famous with his blackened redfish dish. In that case, the main culprit was commercial fishing to meet new, huge demand for redfish. East Coast stripers were just plain overfished, by commercial and recreational fishermen. 

These population declines led to a drive by anglers to decrease the harvest of these species by imposing federal moratoriums on commercial and recreational striper and redfish fishing in federal waters. It was also banned in some state waters. Federal waters typically start 3 miles off the coasts, except for oil-rich states like Texas whose boundaries go out much farther. 

Back to the Present 
The President's Executive Order instructs the Secretary of Commerce to put regulations in place establishing gamefish status for red drum and striped bass in federal waters, and encourages the states to take similar actions in state waters. 

This means a couple of things: 
1) No more commercial fishing of these species ever again in federal waters unless the Order is rescinded, something done extremely rarely and which can only be done by another President. 
2) Anglers right now still can NOT fish for these fish in federal waters. 
In other words, this is a conservation measure with an eye to the future. Federal waters might not ever be reopened to these species, but if they are, it will only be for rod-and-reel fishing. 
The President also encouraged states to use the gamefish designation for these species "to prohibit commercial sales of the fish," according to White House materials. Some states already have this designation for these fish – for example, New Jersey has it for stripers. 

President Bush said Saturday: "I hope the state officials take a serious look at (this) gamefish designation. It is an effective tool to protect endangered or dwindling species. It prohibits commercial sales, which remove the incentive to catch the fish for anything other than recreational purposes. 
"State designations of gamefish have helped the recovery of species such as trout and largemouth bass and tarpon and snook. People need to take a look at this tool to make sure that the fisheries are robust. Strong fisheries mean local sales. Local sales mean (a) better local economy." The President added that the Order "shows our commitment to conserving our nation's resources. Our hope, the hope of everyone here, is that decades from now our children and grandchildren will see oceans, lakes and rivers teeming with fish and sea life. 

"I can't guarantee they're going to be able to walk across their backs like John Smith observed (earlier in his speech, the President mentioned Capt. John Smith's observation in the 17th century that stripers were so plentiful that a man could cross the water 'dryshod' by walking on the backs of all the fish –Ed.). But I can guarantee that we're committed to taking care of that which we have been given. "My hope is people look back at our oceans' policies and our record of conservation and say, we're grateful that concerned citizens came together to protect our heritage." "With this action, the President has secured a legacy for the recreational anglers and conservationists who have worked so hard on behalf of our marine resources," said Walter Fondren III, chairman of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), the main force in conserving southern saltwater species. "When CCA began to work on recovering red drum 30 years ago in Texas, we never imagined an event like this would ever be possible. We owe a debt of gratitude to the President for recognizing the high value placed on these resources by the citizens of this country." 
CCA president David Cummins said: "From the darkest days of overfishing in the late 1970s and early '80s, hundreds of thousands of people have worked tirelessly to conserve these resources. The President today has delivered the only reward that mattered to any of them – a better future for the resources they cherish." 

The major pro-recreational fishing force in Washington is the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), which has many fishing tackle manufacturers among its members. Mike Nussman, its president and CEO, said: "This Executive Order has the full support of the sportfishing industry. By signing the order, the President sends the right message about the need to ensure that striped bass and red drum endure as a species and as sportfish to be enjoyed by anglers now and for generations to come. "We have been working with a number of organizations for years to see that this critical conservation measure came to be, and we applaud the President for his action." 

Nussman added that "recreational anglers are among this nation's most ardent conservationists" and that stripers and redfish are "two of the most highly-prized saltwater fish." The Executive Order "works for anglers and works for the industry." 

Ted Venker, CCA's communications director, summed up the Executive Order this way: "This is a real break from the past, (when) these two species were managed predominantly as a commercial species and regulatory agencies neglected to take adequate account of the value of the species to recreational (anglers). That attitude was greatly responsible for the decimation these two species endured in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and from which they are still trying to fully recover. 

"The Order is not a silver bullet. It is another tool to be used in the future to ensure that these two coveted sportfish are not subjected to the rampant commercial overfishing of the past." 
Notable 

Why did this happen now? Washington sources told InshoreFan that several recreational fishing items were being proposed to the President, and because the President fishes for stripers in Maine and redfish in Texas, this was something he embraced. 

The Executive Order applies to all U.S. coasts, including the transplanted striper population around San Francisco. 

The White House also stated that it's "working in our coastal areas to tackle the problem of marine debris, such as abandoned nets, which can destroy fish habitat. Next month we will announce a new strategy to deal with marine debris." And: "We are encouraging other nations to follow our lead and end destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling on coral reefs and the use of explosives and chemicals."
 
Notable: Presidential Witticisms 
Here are a few witty highlights from the President's speech Saturday: 

"The Vice President tells me there's a lot of fine fishing here (coastal Maryland), and I'm looking forward to going out and trying to catch some. I love to fish." 

On the VP: "The Secret Service won't let me go hunting with him." 

"We're here today to talk about sport fishing. As a matter of fact, I'm fixing to go do some sport fishing. I can't guarantee I'm going to catch anything. I hope that frogman out there does his job."
 
Article courtesy of  www.inshorefan.com - InshoreFan.com, owned by InterMedia Outdoors, is the premier on-line source for inshore and near-shore tournament and recreational fishing news

