Future Fisherman Foundation Partners with U.S. Department of Justice
by Mary Jane Williamson
Alexandria, VA—February 23, 2007—The Future Fisherman Foundation is taking dramatic steps to grow angling participation through a unique new partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Boys and Girls Clubs located throughout the United States. The Future Fisherman Foundation is the fishing recruitment and education arm of the American Sportfishing Association, the sportfishing industry’s trade association.
“Young people in Boys and Girls Clubs across the country are eager to participate in new activities” said James Burch, deputy director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance. “Learning how to fish will give many kids new opportunities to get outside and enjoy their communities in a way they never knew they could. At the same time, Club members will be introduced to a strong prevention curriculum that further enforces the missions of local Clubs.”
Under its agreement with DOJ, the foundation will train local law enforcement and local Boys and Girls Clubs leaders from across the country to work in tandem to teach angling skills to young people in participating Boys and Girls Clubs. Participating clubs will use the foundation’s Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs® (HOFNOD) fishing education curriculum, giving each participant dozens of hours of in-depth fishing skills development through hands on fishing expeditions. A training workshop for the 10 participating Boys and Girls clubs is scheduled for March 4-7, 2007, in San Pedro, Calif.
With a 20 year track record of success, the award-winning HOFNOD curriculum marries angling skills development with teaching good life choices to young people. Participating communities will use local law enforcement officers to mentor youths using angling as the conduit to foster healthy relationships with their peers, family members and other adults.
“The lessons kids learn through HOFNOD not only help them relate to their instructors, but to parents, teachers and each other in ways they never knew,” says Doug Darr, State Aquatic Educator for Alabama.
This new program is good news to many manufacturers and retailers who are concerned about declining participation among youth. The effort is funded primarily by sources outside the sportfishing industry, therefore reaching a community not traditionally touched by fishing education while not competing with other existing angling recruitment efforts.
“When trying to get young people excited about angling, there is often too much focus on fishing for prized species in exotic locations,” said Mike Bolinder, the foundation’s executive director. “This new partnership will show young people they have all the tools and skills they need to go fishing in their own communities.”
The clubs selected for the pilot year of the Future Fisherman Foundation’s grant program for 2007 are: Boys & Girls Clubs of the South Bay, Harbor City, CA; Boys & Girls Club of Pomona Valley, Pomona, CA; East Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club, Los Angeles, CA; Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, Silver Spring, MD; Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN; Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi, Jackson, MS; Boys & Girls Clubs of Sanford Lee Co., Sanford, NC; Boys & Girls Clubs of the Three Affiliated Tribes, New Town, ND; Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV; and Boys & Girls Clubs of Green Country, Pryor, OK.
Members of the sportfishing community are encouraged to get involved in this program. For ways you can become involved, contact Anne Danielski, Future Fisherman Foundation National Programs coordinator, 703.519.9691, x254.
The Future Fisherman Foundation is the fishing recruitment and education arm of the American Sportfishing Association, the sportfishing industry’s trade association. The Future Fisherman Foundation unites the sportfishing industry with a nationwide network of state outdoor educators, national conservation groups, and youth organizations, offering a variety of fishing and boating programs, equipment, and services to community groups and schools across the country. These efforts help people of all ages have safe and enjoyable fishing experiences that foster conservation ethics.
