Harlan Kirgan
Fishermen know the importance of their sport and often that centers on fun, but a serious side of saltwater angling was discussed by the executive director of the Coastal Conservation Association Louisiana.
David Cresson spoke Wednesday at the Eunice Rotary Club meeting. He was in attendance with Randy Young, president of the Tri-Parish chapter of the CCA.
“We like to think we are the voice of the fish and the fishermen here in Louisiana,” Cresson said.
There are 22,000 CCA members in Louisiana and 100,000 in the U.S., he said.
The organization was once confined to the Gulf Coast and was known as the Gulf Coastal Conservation Association. But the association is present on all U.S. coasts.
In Louisiana CCA is best known from the mid-90s in getting rid of gill nets and establishing redfish as game fish.
“There are people in this world who would take the last fish out of the water if you let them,” Cresson said. “There are other people that don’t want you in their water at all. We‘ve got to make sure that when rules are made they are made with fair access in mind, with the benefit of the resource in mind, with the importance of the economy and economic impact in mind. CCA has been doing that for more than 30 years in Louisiana.”
Cresson said CCA has the political power to reel in legislative votes.
Noting the 22,000 members in Louisiana, he said, “The reason that is important is because these are all voters. And, no matter what you think and no matter how much we would just like to make this about feel good fishing, the fact is in order to get the attention of the folks in Baton Rouge you better have some voters with you,” he said.
But Cresson said there are 400,000 saltwater fishing licenses sold in the state. “There are 380,000 that need to get on the ball,” he said.
Saltwater fishing is a $70 billion business with a $100 billion economic impact in Gulf of Mexico, he said.
There are 3.2 million people who fish saltwater and the take 23 million fishing trips, he said.
And, there are about 100,000 jobs directly dependent on saltwater fishing, he said.
The economics are reason enough to make sure saltwater fishing remains good, he said.
“If it weren’t for groups like CCA and other conservation groups that really push for this stuff it would be hard to keep it good because there is big pressure to allow folks to go out there and take that last fish. Or from the other side to keep you out of the water all together,” he said.
Cresson said state regulators are doing a better job than their federal counterparts and he blames President Barack Obama appointees for that.
State and federal politicians need to be asked about their views on fishing and hunting, he said.
Among the threats to saltwater fishing are habitat loss. “We are losing habitat at an alarming rate,” he said.
CCA supports artificial reef and marsh projects, he said.
Cresson said the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in crisis mode now.
“I think we’ve got a good governor. I like him. He seems like a nice man and I think he is going to do a good job, but he has got some problems in his midst with some of the folks in the department,” he said.
On Wednesday, Charlie Melancon resigned as secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Gov. John Bel Edwards said, “This will be a time of transition for the department, but there are still positive reforms we can make to LDWF to correct the significant issues raised in the Legislative Auditor’s report regarding the previous administration’s mismanagement.”
Cresson said, “We need to get things back on the right track.”