Keep America Fishing's Goal and Purpose for North Carolina

Keep America Fishing’s Goal and Purpose for North Carolina
Access to the resource is a critical element in having successful recreational fishing. Recreational anglers, and boaters, have always been in the forefront of fisheries conservation in the United States financing countless conservation and restoration projects through license fees, motorboat fuel taxes and the federal excise tax on fishing gear. At $8.5 million, North Carolina is 5th in state tax revenue earnings from saltwater sportfishing. At almost $754 million, sportfishing’s annual economic output is not insignificant.

The goal of North Carolina's sportfishing advocates and anglers is to maximize the conservation benefit to the marine and surrounding environment while minimizing unwarranted closures of NC beaches to surf fishing.

The purpose of pursuing this goal is to:

• Maintain and improve the conservation of North Carolina marine fisheries and associated natural resources so as to improve the overall health of the ocean and adjacent habitat;
• Assure that the process for future closures or designations under the NC National Park Service relies on biological and economic information in a balanced fashion; and
• Increase sportfishing opportunities in North Carolina from their current economic and participation levels.

North Carolina Saltwater Recreational Fishing Facts

• Generates $913 million annual economic output
• Generates $559 million in NC retails sales
• Supports 9,735 North Carolina jobs
• Generates $58.5 million in NC income taxes
• Pays $267 million in NC salaries and wages
• North Carolina has over 519,000 saltwater anglers

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the sportfishing industry’s trade association, is working to ensure that anglers' and boaters' voices are heard as marine and aquatic management plans are developed. You can help ASA in its efforts to minimize recreational fishing closures by donating to the Keep America Fishing Fund.