Debunking the Myth That Barack Obama is going to Ban Fishing

Last updated on August 10th, 2014 at 05:03 pm

The right wing media has come up with a new twist on an old scare tactic, as they are now citing an opinion column on ESPNoutdoors.com to claim that President Obama is going to ban fishing. According to them, Obama is now not only going to take away your guns, but also your rod and reel, so let’s take a look at the facts and knock down this Internet rumor.

The original Espnoutdoors.com column from Robert Montgomery speculated that, “The Obama administration will accept no more public input for a federal strategy that could prohibit U.S. citizens from fishing some of the nation’s oceans, coastal areas, Great Lakes, and even inland waters.” Later, Montgomery continued to speculate, “Consequently, unless anglers speak up and convince their Congressional representatives to stop this bureaucratic freight train, it appears that the task force will issue a final report for “marine spatial planning” by late March, with President Barack Obama then issuing an Executive Order to implement its recommendations — whatever they may be.”

Later Montgomery claimed with absolutely no evidence that Obama is conspiring with green groups to take away the right to fish in some areas. Somehow the speculation that the administration might ban some fishing, became Obama is going to ban all fishing.

Here is Rush Limbaugh:

Plain and simple, the right wing has taken one opinion columnist’s unfounded speculation, and turned it into an election year scare tactic to motivate those who fish to vote Republican in November. The Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force which is supposed to be out ban fishing actually exists to manage resources in order to, “help to restore fish populations, control invasive species, support healthy coastal communities and ecosystems, restore sensitive species and habitats, protect human health, and rationally allow for emerging uses of the ocean, including new energy production.”

In short, they are doing the same thing that every other state game wildlife or environmental agency does. This is not a top secret conspiracy. The information is available on the White House website. There is a difference between a ban and managing resources. Anyone who hunts and/or fishes knows that resources must be managed if they want to be able to enjoy their hobby for decades to come. Montgomery’s column was clearly labeled an opinion piece, but that hasn’t stopped the conspiracy theorists from turning opinion into fact. This just a new twist on the old talking point that Democrats want to take your guns away, it is nothing more than cheap election year manipulation.