THE GOOD It’s was all good as the ladies hooked a whopping 220 fish at this year’s Screamin’ Reels tournament. The May 19-21 event in Islamorada, Fla., is one of the many annual events organized by the nonprofit Ladies Let’s Go Fishing Foundation.

LLGF founder Betty Bauman noted that Screamin’ Reels is a different breed of tournament in which it’s game-on for almost every legal offshore or inshore species. “It’s perfect for novice to average anglers, and is especially exciting for those who have never caught a fish or entered a fishing tournament.” she said. “It reflects our LLGF goal of continually introducing women to the sport of fishing.”

The weekend included seminars, hands-on skills and conservation education. The women boarded private and charter boats and were greeted by flat-calm seas. In all, they boated 105 fish and released 115.

LLGF turns to freshwater angling for the Guy Harvey Outpost Bass Seminar & Tournament at Camp Mack in Lake Wales, Fla, Sept. 22-23.

THE BETTER Recognizing the importance of providing opportunities for youngsters to experience fishing, the Youth Coastal Fishing Program Act was introduced in the U.S. House and Senate.

Approximately 88% of fishing participants started fishing before the age of 12. Moreover, fishing offers a way to unplug from a technology-driven world, helping improve their mental and physical health and creating lasting memories in nature.

Reps. Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) and Donald McEachin (D-Va.) and Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced the act in their respective chambers. This bill would create a new vehicle to fund community-based programs that take youth fishing on the ocean and the Great Lakes. It would ensure that young people have welcoming and comfortable spaces to access local waters, encouraging fishing participation as they grow into adulthood.

Like anything else, such an undertaking requires a big push to get it passed. So take a few minutes and tell Congress to support the Youth Coastal Fishing Program Act.

THE UGLY Shocked, bewildered, frustrated and abandoned are some of the words Southwest Florida’s ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska is hearing from commercial fishermen as they describe NOAA’s refusal to declare a federal fisheries disaster.

When Hurricane Ian slammed into Florida’s Gulf Coast last September, it destroyed much of Lee County’s commercial fishing industry. Gov. Ron DeSantis made an official fishery disaster request, which has been denied.

“Are bad policies and poorly written federal statutes to blame, or in today’s politically charged atmosphere, could it boil down to politics? That depends on who you ask,” Paluska reported.

Regardless, stakeholders are beginning to sound the alarm about the future of the commercial fishing industry in Florida.

“This industry is really on the verge of being gone,” said fisherman Casey Streeter. His Streeter’s Fish House on Matlacha was destroyed, as was his home in nearby St. James City. Boats in his fleet are damaged, some beyond repair, and his ice house is gone.

NOAA’s response to date:

The Secretary has not received additional requests from other impacted states. Therefore, the requirements for a rapid assessment of a catastrophic regional fishery disaster, as defined by Section 315 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), were not met.

At issue is the “additional requests from other impacted states.” Rapid fishery disaster requests were submitted by Gov. Rick Scott and approved after Hurricane Michael (2018) and Hurricane Irma (2017) hit Florida, and neither required requests from other states.

“If this is not a catastrophic event,” says 40-year commercial fisherman Eric Schmidt, “I don’t know what actually classifies as a catastrophic event. We’re on the verge of being gone. It’s very disheartening.”