FishAmerica Foundation and The Redfish Nation Partner toEnhance Redfish Conservation Efforts
by Mary Jane Williamson
October 4, 2004—Lake Charles, LA—On October 2, 2004, during the 2004 Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup Championshipheld at Bord du Lac Park in Lake Charles, LA, the FishAmerica Foundation (FAF) and The Redfish Nation announced an $8,900 grant to the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) of Florida, for redfish habitat restoration in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. CCA is an angler conservation organization with 15 chapters located across the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic seaboard.
“FishAmerica is delighted that the first project funded through our partnership with The Redfish Nation will have both strong volunteer support and a profound effect on shoreline habitat,” said Johanna Laderman, managing director of the FishAmerica Foundation. “Through CCA, the project will engage the local community and anglers in an effort to conserve redfish populations and improve habitat in the Indian River Lagoon.”
“The Redfish Nation is thrilled to partner with FAF in support of CCA,” said David Healy of The Redfish Nation. “Now more than ever, it is vital that we work together to assist in the restoration of the areas of coastal Florida devastated by this hurricane season.”
At two planting events planned for spring 2005, volunteers from the Coastal Conservation Association and the local communities of Sebastian (FL) and Cocoa Beach (FL) will plant more than 5,000 mangroves along the Indian River Lagoon’s shoreline. Mangroves provide essential fish habitat for juvenile redfish and many other species of juvenile sportfish. Mangroves also provide habitat for forage fish important for sportfish and play an important role in stabilizing the shoreline and preventing erosion. Since 2000, the FishAmerica Foundation has awarded six grants to CCA Florida for coastal habitat restoration.
FishAmerica and The Redfish Nation launched their partnership in January 2004 to support redfish conservation and spotlight the growing popularity of redfish fishing. The Redfish Nation donates $3 of every $40 in membership fees to the FishAmerica Foundation for redfish conservation and spotlight the growing popularity of redfish among the nation’s anglers.
For additional information, contact Johanna Laderman, FishAmerica Foundation or David Healy, The Redfish Nation, 501.372.6544.
The FishAmerica Foundation is the conservation and research foundation of the American Sportfishing Association. FishAmerica unites the sportfishing industry with conservation groups, government natural resource agencies, fishing tournament trails, corporations and charitable foundations to invest in fisheries conservation and research across the country. FishAmerica provides matching grants that empower citizen conservationists in their own communities. Since 1983, FishAmerica has provided more than $6 million for more than 750 conservation projects nationwide.
