(Capt. Steve Chaconas has been covering pro bass fishing for 20 years. Currently he writes for BoatUS Angler, Woods & Waters USA, The Sportsman's Magazine and other titles. He provides radio coverage of pro events and is also the BoatUS.com "fishing expert.")

In case you haven't heard, effective Jan. 1, 2010, the Federal Government has established a National Saltwater Registry. Saltwater anglers must go to CountMyFish.noaa.gov and register to obtain a government fishing license, in addition to state-license requirements. This applies to saltwater anglers and to those fishing the Potomac River.



Say what?

This component of the Magnuson Stevens Act (MSA), reauthorized this year, also provides authority to close fisheries. That's right. The same group that runs the Post Office, Amtrak and the IRS – the same government that controls Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and is invested in the auto industry, banking industry and now the healthcare system – has obtained the power to cancel fishing.

MSA's National Saltwater Registry is intended to provide the government with more data to determine whether "overfishing" is occurring. Think about that: Recreational-angler surveys, not science, will empower the government to close fisheries. And that's before local resource officials have their say.

Will they really close fisheries? Hatteras, N.C., Florida and other coastal saltwater hotspots already have closures. Even the National Park Service has revealed its intentions to close a stretch of the Potomac River.

So imminent is the threat to fishing that the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) held a rally in February where about 5,000 commercial, charter and recreational anglers gathered and listened to speeches from both political parties to show their support to use science before closing fisheries, and to consider the economic impact, including job losses, before effecting closures.

After the RFA rally, the issue exploded when ESPN Outdoors writer Robert Montgomery, in his article titled Culled Out, pointed to several factors in place that are leading to fishery closures.

Montgomery's article was picked up by the Drudge Report, and soon conservative talkshow hosts were clamoring about another government takeover. Liberals declared another right-wing conspiracy. Bottom line: ESPN disclaimed the story then silenced Montgomery, who's been a voice for conservation for over 25 years. He still writes for BASS publications, but his widely circulated digital contributions for ESPNOutdoors.com, and his series about anglers' rights, are no more.

Why did ESPN sideline Montgomery, thus avoiding coverage of the assault on fishing rights? Especially when others make similar declarations that the moon and stars are in line for a continual and fatal attack on our fishing rights? Nearly every fishing organization has commented on this issue along the same lines as Montgomery including ESPN's own Fishing Tackle Retailer magazine.

With ESPN canceling its outdoor programming, and rumors of a BASS sale circulating through the industry, ESPN probably didn't want to ruffle any feathers up the Disney chain.

But when it comes to our rights as anglers, the media should never be silenced. And the facts are clearly in place. No sooner were the ballots counted in President Obama's November 2008 win, than the so-called green groups (WWF, Greenpeace, Defenders of Wildlife, Pew Environment Group and others) produced a document entitled Transition to Green. It's well documented that these groups are anti-use.

In this light, outdoors people need to open their eyes to the erosion of our outdoor heritage and take action by contacting their elected representatives. Otherwise, the probability of more fishing-grounds closures and inevitable negative economic repercussions will take place whilst we sleep.

Sound science over surveys and economic consideration. A loud, free voice within the outdoor media.

ESPN can help: reinstate Robert Montgomery now.