My name is J.P. Brooker and I am a Policy Analyst and Attorney with the Fish Conservation Program at Ocean Conservancy. I am a sixth generation Floridian born and raised on the Indian River Lagoon and I am an ardent conservationist who mortally loves to fish. In case you missed it, this week I took over the Ocean Conservancy Instagram account, and wanted to post the images here! I am excited to share my thoughts on ocean conservation, especially my thoughts on fishing as the landmark Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) turns 40, in less than a week.

People in my family have fished in Gulf and Atlantic waters from the Florida Keys all the way up to North Carolina and Virginia for generations. It’s in our blood. Here’s a picture of my grandfather (second from left) and my uncle (middle) and their day’s catch of dolphin and marlin at world-famous Oregon Inlet, North Carolina in the 1960s. I love the MSA because it helps to preserve the unique fishing heritage of coastal communities and fishing families across the country by ensuring continued access to fish.