FishAmerica Foundation Establishes Gulf Coast Restoration
Fund
by
Mary Jane Williamson
November 2, 2005—Alexandria, VA—In response
to the extreme devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita to
the United States Gulf Coast’s sportfish habitat and facilities,
the FishAmerica Foundation (FAF) has established the FishAmerica Gulf
Fund to help ease the burden of restoration efforts in this area.
The Fund, administered by the FAF, was created to help restore critical
sportfish habitat and facilities in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi
and Texas. According to the American Sportfishing Association’s report, Sportfishing
in America, the Gulf of Mexico overall, represents $8.1 billion in total
economic impact with nearly 4.1 million anglers fishing in the Gulf.
Nearly 4.8 million fresh and saltwater anglers fish along the coasts of
Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas according to the United States
Fish & Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) most recent survey. The
USFWS also shows that the economic impact from those four states alone
is approximately $2.6 billion. The total economic impact reflects state
and federal taxes, sales and motor fuel taxes, jobs, salaries and wages,
retail sales, as well as the total number of anglers.
“The sportfishing industry is solidly behind the FishAmerica Gulf
Fund,” said Dave Pfeiffer, ASA’s Board chairman and executive
vice president, Shimano American Corporation. “Many elements
make up a great angling experience, but healthy, abundant fisheries
as well as access to the resource, are key. It is only fitting that
the sportfishing industry take an active role in helping restore both
habitat and access, which, in turn, will help improve the economy of the
area.”
Over the last 23 years, the FAF has funded numerous sport fish restoration
projects and worked hand-in-hand with state and local natural resource
agencies to successfully enhance sport fishing along the Gulf Coast
and across the nation. In the last few years, the foundation funded
projects including: the Delehide Cove Restoration Project enhancing
coastal fisheries habitat along Galveston Island's West Bay shoreline; the
Mississippi Oyster Reef Project creating two new oyster reefs to improve
fish habitat and water quality in Back Bay Biloxi and St. Louis Bay; and
the New Orleans City Park Fishing Improvement Project to improve water quality
and fishing in the 11-acre City Park lagoon system.
The foundation will work with state and federal natural resource agencies
and community conservation groups to identify and prioritize projects
like wetland creation and restoration, aquatic vegetation planting, rebuilding
angler access, and reestablishing fish passage.
“One main focus of the FishAmerica Foundation is to help preserve
this country’s sportfish and resources,” said Johanna Laderman,
managing director, FishAmerica Foundation. “By establishing this
fund, we have now created a centrally-located, focused, rallying point
for the industry as well as others interested in conservation to contribute
directly to the preservation of sportfishing in the Gulf.”
The establishment of the fund comes in the midst of a record-breaking year
for storms with 23 named storms, including 12 hurricanes, and more
than three weeks left before the 2005 hurricane season ends on November
30. Through the fund, grants will be provided to local sportfishing clubs
and conservation organizations to aid in their efforts to restore sportfish
populations and their habitats and access to the resource.
For additional information and to support the FishAmerica Gulf Fund, please
visit www.fishamerica.org or contact
Johanna Laderman, managing
director, FishAmerica Foundation, 703.519.9691 x245.
By the numbers: The Gulf Coast
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s most recent survey
and the American Sportfishing Association’s report, Sportfishing
in America:
- Forty-five percent of United States marine anglers live along the
Gulf Coast.
- Gulf Coast anglers spend $44.3 billion each year on marine recreational
fishing.
- Sportfishing along the coasts of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi
and Texas supports nearly 28,000 jobs with over $651 million in annual
income.
- Sportfishing in the Gulf of Mexico represents nearly 40 percent
of the total expenditures for U.S. marine sportfishing and nearly
one-third of the 296,000 jobs dependent on saltwater angling.
The
FishAmerica Foundation is the conservation and research foundation
of the American Sportfishing Association. FishAmerica unites the
sportfishing industry with conservation groups, government agencies, fishing
tournaments, corporations and charitable foundations, investing 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 $8 million for more than
800 fisheries conservation and research projects nationwide.
