Twenty-One Candidates Who Have Rallied With Coastal Fishermen
November 5, 2012 - On February 24, 2010 and March 21, 2012, the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) and more than two dozen fishing organizations representing both recreational and commercial interests convened rallies near the steps of our nation's capitol to raise awareness of the concerns of our coastal fishing communities.

While commercial and recreational fishermen are often at odds - primarily over issues of fisheries allocation and gear use - the two sides have come together in recent years since the Magnuson Stevens Act was passed by unanimous consent by the Senate in 2006, memorializing rigid, often arbitrary restrictions on coastal fish stocks shared by both sectors. The fact is, if commercial and recreational fishermen can come together in a united front in Washington DC, then certainly the same should be expected of both democrats and republicans alike in Congress.

As the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast shovels out from the tragic mess left behind by the devastating coastal storm, the RFA reminds everyone that Tuesday, November 6, 2012 is Election Day in the United States - and it's one which we believe is one of the most important elections of our lifetime.

RFA staff and volunteers from coast to coast have been working with key legislators and candidates to ensure that the RFA mission "to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries" is being represented in the future. When it comes time for you to cast your selection in the voting booth on Tuesday, the RFA asks that you give ample consideration to those who we believe are our present and future Fishing Champions in Congress.

The following list of U.S. Senate and House of Representative candidates are those appearing on ballots in the coastal United States on November 6th who have pledged their ongoing support for our coastal community and who have personally addressed the concerns of the Keep Fishermen Fishing coalition at Upper Senate Park in Washington DC at the recent rallies in 2010 and 2012.

As a reminder, the common theme among all those assembled near the Capitol - democrats, republicans, commercial fishermen and saltwater anglers alike - was that the current NOAA administration has grossly ignored our coastal interests during the past 4 years. Top-level appointments at NOAA - where wanton abuse of power and sometimes tyrannical rule over our open access rights as free Americans - can only be changed at the polls on Tuesday in the presidential race.

That is why, that in addition to the following Fishing Champions appearing on the November 6th ballot, the RFA is endorsing Governor Mitt Romney for President of the United States.

Four more years of the current administration means four more years of top-level neglect by our fisheries service. It is time for change, and the recreational fishing community in the United States is well aware of what we need to survive - it's time for real change in the office of the president with support for our true Fishing Champions in Congress.

(* Asterisk indicates RFA-supported challengers to sitting congressional incumbents)

U.S. SENATE
Sen. Scott Brown (R-Massachusetts)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York)
*Joe Kyrillos (R-New Jersey)
*Barry Hinckley (R-Rhode Island)

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Rep. Steve Southerland (R-Florida 2)
Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Florida 4)
Rep. John Mica (R-Florida 7)
Rep. Bill Posey (R-Florida 8)
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Florida 12)
Rep. Allen B. West (R-Florida 18)
Rep. David Rivera (R-Florida 26)
Rep. John Tierney (D-Massachusetts 6)
Rep. William Keating (D-Massachusetts 9)
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-New Jersey 2)
Rep. Jon Runyan (R-New Jersey 3)
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey 6)
*Randy Altschuler (R-New York 1)
Rep. Michael Grimm (R-New York 11)
Rep. Walter Jones (R-North Carolina 3)
Rep. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina 1)
Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-South Carolina 3)