KFF Spotlight: National Association of Charterboat Operators

In our effort to keep you in the loop on which members are participating in this year’s Keep Fishermen Fishing rally, we’re focusing on the National Association of Charterboat Operators today.

NACO, based out of Orange Beach, Alabama, has been around since 1991, representing marine charter companies. Many of these companies provide fishing charters, but a good number also do sailing, diving and eco tours or other excursions. That translates to hundreds or thousands of captains, crew and related businesses across the country who count on NACO for representation. Several of those members likely will be at the rally.

But what does NACO do?

From its website at http://www.nacocharters.org/:  “As the premiere Association that represents charter boat interests, our objective is to improve the professional charter boat operator's bottom line and to provide a strong voice in Washington, D.C.” Board members come from all over as well – so NACO truly represents the majority of charterboat businesses. NACO also helps to ensure its members operate safely and professionally.

Indeed, we are lucky to have NACO folks attending the rally in March!

Just as an aside, one of the best things I like about NACO is the ability to search for and find local charterboat operators by using the directory on its website. I live on the West Coast and the folks I’ve known and respected for years and worked with on fisheries management issues are members. I’m looking forward to meeting some of the other charterboat folks from around the country.

Have questions about how adding flexibility to the Magnuson-Stevens Act will affect NACO members? Drop them an email at info@nacocharters.org or leave us a question in the comments and we'll get back to you.

We're rolling!

It’s official! We have the site, we have the times, recreational and commercial fishing groups have signed on and people are arranging buses and transportation – the Keep Fishermen Fishing rally is rolling!

Here are the details:       

Who: Recreational and commercial fishermen and related businesses from across the country

What: Keep Fishermen Fishing rally

When: noon to 3 p.m., Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Where: Upper Senate Park, Washington, D.C.

Why: to support flexibility in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act

Links:

Keep Fishermen Fishing website: http://www.keepfishermenfishing.com/index.html

Blog: http://fixmagnusonnow.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-Fishermen-Fishing/282791548442919

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fishmarchdc2012

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/116436539795976325243/

Leading recreational and commercial fishing groups have already signed on to go, so in the days ahead we will highlight a few of them so you can get to know them better. These folks are dedicated, serious, hard-working fishermen and women and seafood workers who believe in the fishing and seafood industries. To us, fishing isn’t always about money; it’s culture, it’s history, it’s camaraderie, it’s a way of life. 

And it’s vanishing.

The changes to the Magnuson-Stevens Act we’re asking for are slight – just a little flexibility so that we can keep our fleets on the water, anglers and their families fishing and seafood being delivered to consumers. Fish stocks will not suffer; species that are in trouble will still have legal protections in order to rebuild and become healthy again. But at the same time, our nation’s rich history of fishing and processing will be allowed to maintain its legacy.

To learn more about the people who make up this great legacy, check back here, follow our social media sites and take a look at our website. We’ll keep you up-to-date on all the latest happenings.