The RFA Mission

Commercial fishermen and environmentalists are pushing their agenda on marine fisheries issues affecting you. The RFA is in the trenches lobbying, educating decision makers and ensuring that our interests are being heard loud and clear too!
 

Safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers.

Protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs.

Ensure the long-term sustainability of our nation’s fisheries.
 

RFA Is a Political Action Organization

From the very beginning, the people who helped create the Recreational Fishing Alliance recognized that the key to protecting recreational fishing and fragile marine resources was political in nature. The ability to influence political decisions through the lobbying of elected officials is the single most effective method for getting our concerns considered and acted on both in the legislative and regulatory arenas. We're sure you have seen the reference to RFA being the only national 501(c)(4) non-profit recreational fishing "political action group." What does that mean to you as an angler? Let us explain so you will know why the RFA is so important to the future of the sport we all hold dear and to the industry that supplies recreational anglers with goods and services.


Tax Exempt versus Tax Deductible

There are two classifications of non-profit corporations identified under the IRS tax code. The 501(c)(3) designation identifies an organization as not-for-profit, tax-exempt, and allows membership dues and contributions to be tax deductible. This makes obtaining members and donations easier because of the tax write-off available to the individual or corporate contributor. However, tax deductibility carries severe restrictions on how an organization can operate and how their funds can be used. IRS regulations drastically limit the use of dues and donations for political lobbying and strictly prohibit engaging in opposing or supporting political candidates. The penalties for violating these laws are severe. That is why so many conservation and environmental groups operating as tax-deductible corporations are ineffectual when it comes to influencing the political process.

Organizations designated as 501(c)(4) like the Recreational Fishing Alliance are still not-for-profit and tax-exempt, but dues and donations are not tax deductible. The RFA maintains this status, even though it makes fund-raising more difficult, because the IRS imposes no restrictions or prohibitions on the political action work of the association. This allows RFA a free hand to lobby legislators on your behalf and it is the ability to lobby that has proven to be the difference between success and failure. Smart, well organized, effective lobbying is absolutely critical to influencing political change and an organization's tax status is an important distinction that impacts its ability to truly represent you in the political arena. There are only three registered recreational fishing lobbyists in Washington and two are full-time employees of the RFA, each with strong backgrounds and proven effectiveness. Without the RFA, the voice of recreational anglers and the industry are all but mute and easily overpowered by opposing interests.


Recreational Fishing Advocacy

The RFA's stated mission begins with protecting your right to fish! Marine resources are the common property of all citizens and you have a right to enjoy using those resources within the boundaries of maintaining sustainable fisheries and the implementation of common sense conservation measures. RFA is, after all, a grass-roots association of concerned recreational anglers and industry members. This sets RFA apart from conservation and environmental groups, which have little or no concern about your ability to fish. This does not mean that RFA ignores conservation issues, quite the opposite. RFA spends the majority of its time working to protect marine resources and the marine environment, which has a direct benefit on recreational fishing.

To help clarify these distinctions, a parallel could be drawn between the work of the RFA and that of the National Rifle Association (NRA). The NRA maintains as its primary goal the protection and preservation of its member's second amendment right to keep and bear arms. The NRA is politically active in this pursuit, lobbying in Washington and state capitols representing their member's interests. But is that all they do? Not by a long shot. The NRA spends considerable time and resources lobbying for protection of wilderness lands, the restoration of natural habitats and the conservation of wildlife in addition to promoting gun safety.

The RFA understands that conservation and habitat protection are of the utmost importance and lobbies for your interests on such issues. But it is the association's efforts to protect your ability to fish that set it apart from most conservation organizations. While we hear so much about conservation issues, declining fish stocks and habitat loss, these are not the only assaults on recreational fishing. There are individuals in elected office and staffing key federal agencies that would just as soon see your ability to fish, or to keep fish for personal use, denied. If you believe that all conservation and environmental organizations are working to protect your right to fish, think again. Some would prefer all recreational fishing was "catch and release" and there are others that would just as soon see oceans and bays turned into a marine petting zoo by putting an end to fishing altogether. Without the RFA, and the access to the political process the association has gained through lobbying, there would be no one fighting to preserve your right to fish, an important part of our heritage as Americans. Recreational fishing is in need of protection so it can be practiced and enjoyed for generations to come.


Marine Fisheries Conservation Began With Recreational Fishermen

Recreational anglers were among the pioneers in fighting for conservation of marine fisheries. Most conservation and environmental groups are relative newcomers to the battle. It was recreational fishing activists who challenged Congress to create legislation establishing the Exclusive Economic Zone (200-mile limit) to banish the foreign industrial fishing fleets that were decimating our coastal fisheries in the 1950's and 60's! The legislation they helped develop and enact became the Marine Fisheries Management Act, or Magnuson Act, as it is more commonly known, in 1976. It was the work of concerned recreational anglers who banded together and fought a hard political battle for its passage against formidable domestic and international opposition. Unfortunately, once Magnuson became law politicians, being lobbied by a well-organized U.S. commercial fishing industry, saw it as an opportunity to begin a massive, government-sponsored build up of the domestic fishing fleet. The result was most of the fisheries those pioneering conservationists sought to protect were brought to the brink of collapse in two to three decades.

There are two lessons to be learned from this experience. First, a well-organized recreational fishing political action group can exert a very positive influence on fisheries conservation. Second, that influence must be sustained and combined with unwavering vigilance because other forces are involved in the political process that are pushing an agenda very different from ours. That is why the RFA maintains a constant presence in Washington, keeping its finger on the pulse of legislative initiatives and regulatory actions, while working to protect recreational fishing interests. That is why the RFA needs a strong and growing membership of anglers and industry members and the financial contributions they provide to expand access and maintain vigilance.


Lobbying Is The Political Solution

The founders of the RFA realized that the problems we face are political in nature and political problems require a political solution. For far too long, recreational anglers had no real voice because we had no dedicated and sustained lobbying effort in the halls of power in Washington and in state houses in coastal zones. No matter how loud we shouted or how long we complained about what was happening, we were not involved in the process early enough to impact the outcome. Basically, we got involved after it had already happened. Recreational groups were relegated to being reactionary instead of participatory, which put us at a distinct disadvantage.

Lobbyists are in constant contact with legislative movers and shakers dealing with issues, increasing access, promoting policies and helping steer legislation that affects the interests of their constituents. Good lobbyists know what is going on early in the process. They participate with legislators and their key staff members who are involved in developing the legislation from its formative stages. It is the ability to get things moving in the right direction before it becomes a problem that is the hallmark of an effective lobbying effort. When a political action group is doing its job most effectively there is a good chance you will never hear about it because the "bad news" was averted before it ever saw the light of day. The RFA is there, doing this job on behalf of its members, but so much more needs to be done.


What We're Up Against

Did you know that there are 37 registered lobbyists working for the commercial fishing industry in Washington? Thirty-seven hired guns monitoring congressional committees in an effort to impact legislation on behalf of their clients. Thirty-seven trained political operatives knocking on senator's and congressmen's doors seeking access, pressing for favorable treatment of their client's interests in legislative and regulatory actions.

Who do they represent? Very few are working for the small-scale commercial fisherman except in those instances where independent owner-operators join an association for such purposes. A prime example is the Bluewater Fisherman's Association, which lobbies for its members involved in pelagic longlining. Most commercial fishing lobbyists promote the interests of seafood dealers and brokers, large-scale processors, distributors and corporations that own fleets of trawlers, seiners or other industrial capacity commercial boats. For decades, commercial fishing lobbyists ruled the roost in Washington and at the National Marine Fisheries Service. The deplorable condition most marine fisheries are in today is a testament to their effectiveness. Left unchecked, this powerful force will continue to make true fisheries conservation difficult and you can be sure they will do their damnedest to undercut the importance of recreational fishing.


Support Those Fighting For Your Interests

The RFA is a new kind of organization to most recreational anglers and many of the companies that are involved in the industry, which accounts for some of the confusion. It is the political solution we have been searching for with the ability to actively and effectively lobby in Washington and in state houses in coastal areas. The RFA is still a young organization and its ability to do the job that so desperately needs to be done depends on grass-roots membership and contributions from members and industry. In five years, the RFA has amassed a strong record of accomplishment and has developed a positive reputation with legislators on all sides of the political spectrum. The RFA gets in the doors that have been closed to us for far too long.

When all is said and done, it is important to realize that YOU are the grass roots that make the RFA successful. You, your family, your fishing buddies, and the fishing club you belong to or, in the case of those in the industry, the company you work for. When you join the RFA as individuals or your club affiliates with the RFA, you increase the power with which the message resounds. When you donate to the RFA or become a corporate sponsor, you increase our ability to expand access and bring our message to those in power who create legislation and fund the agencies that regulate fishing activities. The bottom line is simple, the RFA will be only as effective in protecting recreational fishing and working to bring conservation to marine fisheries as the resolve of its membership and sponsors permit.

We hope this paper will answer a lot of your questions and give you a better understanding of what the RFA is all about and why your membership and financial support is so critical. If you have any questions, please call us.


Individual Memberships, Donations and Club Affiliations:

To join the RFA, set up an affiliate State Chapter or make an individual donation, please call the headquarters office at
1-888-JOIN RFA. 

Corporate Sponsorships and Donations:

To become a corporate sponsor or make a corporate donation, please call our Corporate Relations Office at
(732) 899-9988. A sponsorship package will be forwarded to you promptly.

RFA / TEXAS
P.O. Box 58
Fulton TX 78358

Phone:  (361) 463 1558
 

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RFA is an IRS 501 (c) (4) not -for -profit organization. Contributions, gifts or membership dues paid to the RFA or its chapters are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

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