Good News for Anglers!
As of December 8, 2016, President Obama signed the Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016 into law. Better known as the REC Act, it will instruct the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce (DOC) to assess and analyze the outdoor recreation economy of the United States and the effects attributable to it on the overall U.S. economy.
Since outdoor recreation employs over 6 million people and generates $646 billion annually, it’s high time this was added to the major industries already tracked by the DOC.
And when our elected officials see the importance of outdoor recreation in their district, you can bet those numbers will get their attention. That could mean more funding for stocking and conservation programs and more and better access to prime fishing spots.
Simply put, increased visibility means more and better fishing.