Why Was Game Fish Status Left Out of Saltwater Law?
Let’s go on a learning journey together.
Let’s reason this out — and shine some light on what many believe was an obvious and intentional omission.
Game Fish Status was created to protect public access, restore fish populations, and stop commercial exploitation of freshwater species.
So why wasn’t the same protection extended to saltwater?
As we dig deeper, we’ll uncover who benefited, who was left out — and how that decision continues to affect our coastal communities today.
Our forefathers understood that commercial and recreational fishing cannot compete—and when forced to, the public always loses. That’s why Game Fish Status was created: to protect access for everyone, not just those who profit.
But when saltwater laws were written that protection was deliberately left out. Special interests had to redefine who counts as a stakeholder to rewrite the rules in their favor.
We’re watching history happen in reverse.
And that’s exactly why I started Go Fish USA—a Genesis 1:26 project "Gamefish Status" to restore fairness, faith, and public access to what God gave us all.
— Captain Mark Noble
Founder, Go Fish USA
What Game Fish Status Does
A Simple Law That Works
Game Fish Status is not new. It’s not complicated. And it’s not controversial—unless you profit from depletion.
This one policy:
✅ Ends commercial sale of protected species
✅ Helps restore depleted populations
✅ Protects fish until they reach adult size
✅ Guarantees access to everyday Americans
✅ Severely restricts excessive waste
✅ Honors the principles of conservation and stewardship
It worked for freshwater. It can work for saltwater. The time is now.
🎣 Have Fixed-Structure Anglers Been Forgotten?
Yes — and it’s a serious equity issue in fisheries management.
Anglers who fish from piers, bridges, banks, and beaches — often working-class families, children, the elderly, and BIPOC communities — are being left behind.
These communities rely on nearshore species like croaker, whiting, flounder, and summer trout. But these fish have become smaller, scarcer, and in some cases, labeled de minimis — as if they no longer matter.
There appear to be no healthy adult populations of these fish to support a sustainable fishery.
And despite the obvious loss, we’ve seen little to no restoration efforts or access prioritization from the state.
When equity disappears from the water, we must speak up.
The original fisheries mandate was given by God.
“Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea…” — Genesis 1:26
This verse isn’t a license to exhaust creation — it’s a calling to care for it.
The original fisheries mandate didn’t come from bureaucrats. It came from God.
And yet, over time, what was given freely to all has been handed over to a few through policies that prioritize profit over people.
Game Fish Status is one of the clearest ways to honor this original calling.
It affirms what we already know in our hearts: that what God created belongs to everyone — not just those with boats, money, or political power.
We’ve protected fish and wildlife across all fifty states for the public good.
Now it’s time to protect the saltwater fish of the sea — for food, for joy, and for future generations.
What God made is not for sale.
It’s our inheritance. Let’s defend it.
"Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea..." — Genesis 1:26
This Is About We, Not Me
The truth is, many of the people who’ve been left out of saltwater fisheries don’t have the money to buy a voice—and so they don’t get one. But through this project, you will. Your voice gives strength to the original purpose of Game Fish Status: to protect the public, not the powerful. Our inshore and nearshore fisheries need that protection now more than ever. I know what it’s like to be left out. I’ve seen families trying to fish from shore with nothing but hope and a hand-me-down rod. Not everyone can afford a boat. Not everyone has someone to take them. Many can’t afford even my services as a charter captain.This isn’t about me. It’s about we.
We need a united voice.
We need fairness.We need your help.
👉 Stand for those who’ve been ignored.
Let’s restore what was meant for all of us.
Captain Mark Noble
Genesis 1:26 Project
• Go Fish USA