History of Game Fish Status – GoFishUSA.com
In the 1800s and early 1900s, America’s fish and wildlife were vanishing. Deer, ducks, turkeys, and even many freshwater fish were hunted or netted not just for food—but for sale. Market hunters and commercial netters hauled in wildlife by the ton, and there were no rules to stop them
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The true purpose of Game Fish and Wildlife Status was to settle the question of who wildlife belongs to.
It ended the argument that “you can’t stop me from selling—it’s my livelihood.
It made clear: wildlife is not for sale; it belongs to the people.
Game status silenced the shame placed on the public by those claiming superior rights.
Most notable it did not split the resource between recreational and commercial purpose
Established that all people are equal stakeholders
This happened because people came together and lifted their voices with a single message- we have had enough!
Join the Movement
Protect What’s Been Given. Take a Stand for Game Fish Status.
Saltwater fish were created for all of us—not just a few. Game fish status is how we make that promise real.
Will you join us?
✅ Sign the petition
✅ Write your representative
✅ Share your story
✅ Support GoFishUSA.com
Together, we can restore balance, protect creation, and ensure that the fish of the sea remain a blessing—not a commodity.
Game Laws Changed Everything
How Ordinary People Protected Wildlife for Future Generations
Americans demanded change. The result was a new idea in wildlife law: game status.
Game species could no longer be sold on the market. They were removed from commerce, protected by seasons and limits, and managed by the people—for the people.
This was the birth of modern conservation. Game laws gave us:
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Bag limits and seasons
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Public hunting and fishing licenses
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Wildlife officers and enforcement
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Recovery of species that were nearly lost
It was one of the greatest public policy successes in American history.
A Miracle of Recovery
How Game Fish and Game Animal Laws Brought Wildlife Back
Once protected, wildlife bounced back. Deer, turkey, bass, and trout returned in numbers no one thought possible. Rural and urban families alike were once again able to feed themselves, find joy outdoors, and reconnect with creation.
The system worked because it put wildlife in the hands of the public, not the marketplace. And it gave special protection to species that were being wiped out by unchecked harvest.
This recovery created a thriving $100 billion outdoor economy—driven by recreation, not destruction.