06-14-2004, 03:26 PM
[font "Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][#000000][size 2]ANNAPOLIS, MD—Anglers recently won a major victory in maintaining fishing rights when Maryland Gov. Robert Erhlich signed the Freedom-To-Fish Act into law. [/size][/#000000][/font]
[font "Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][#000000][size 2]The law prevents the unnecessary closure of waters to public fishing, such as what some California anglers believe happened when the state established a marine protected area around the Channel Islands, putting a vast expanse of prime waters off-limits to sportfishing. The new law requires Maryland to establish a scientific basis for any proposed closure, plus monitor the closed area to ensure goals are being achieved. It also creates provisions to reopen areas to fishing as soon as the basis for closure ceases. [/size][/#000000][/font]
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[font "Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][#000000][size 2]The law prevents the unnecessary closure of waters to public fishing, such as what some California anglers believe happened when the state established a marine protected area around the Channel Islands, putting a vast expanse of prime waters off-limits to sportfishing. The new law requires Maryland to establish a scientific basis for any proposed closure, plus monitor the closed area to ensure goals are being achieved. It also creates provisions to reopen areas to fishing as soon as the basis for closure ceases. [/size][/#000000][/font]
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