A periodic information source for members of the American Sportfishing Association and partners on issues of importance to the future of fishing
August 8, 2003
Sign Up Now for the Sporfishing Summit: This
year’s Sportfishing Summit, October 1-3 at Ocean Reef Club in
Key Largo, will feature a great lineup of industry leaders, seminars,
and business workshops. Special sessions cover emerging markets and
major economic trends, giving us fresh ideas on charting our business
ventures. We’ll have a chance to learn about the golf industry’s
“First Tee” youth recruitment program to consider new avenues
for growing fishing participation and have a dialogue with a state official
on making the most out of our Wallop-Breaux investments. We’re
hosting practical workshops on paying the Wallop-Breaux excise tax,
the ins-and-outs of exporting, making ASA member benefits work for you,
and using Water Works Wonders cooperative marketing materials to boost
product sales and help expand fishing participation. We’ll begin
with the first day dedicated to open meetings of most of ASA’s
member committees and the Board of Directors to plan activities for
the coming year, devoting the other two days for the special sessions,
seminars, workshops, and fishing and other networking events. Watch
your mail for more details and registration information. You may also
visit Shows and Events, or contact Special Projects
Director Forbes Darby,
703.519.9691 x222.
ICAST Roundup: Thank you to the nearly 6,000 representatives of the sportfishing industry, partners, and media who made ICAST 2003 a great rallying event during a difficult season for the industry. On the heels of this especially successful show, more than 60 percent of the show floor for ICAST 2004 in Las Vegas is already booked up (August 15 is the deadline for deposits to lock in your booth contract). Visit Shows and Events to check out available booth space for next year. All 2003 exhibitors should already have received booth contracts and floor plans in the mail recently. As a member benefit for exhibitors only, final registration lists for ICAST 2003 also will be mailed shortly, and exhibitors may order electronic lists for $300 from Expo Exchange, 800.787.0475, show code SFE031. We’ve also contracted with Bob Delfay, who headed up the SHOT show for 25 years, as a consultant for ASA on improving ICAST. Toward that end, ICAST 2003 exhibitors and attendees will soon receive a satisfaction survey in the mail. We appreciate all comments and suggestions so we can keep making ICAST better each year. For more information, contact ICAST Director Maria del Valle, 703.519.9691 x240.
New Markets for Today’s Angler: ASA’s Today’s Angler Report can help manufacturers, advertisers, and marketers identify new markets and products and support retailers in understanding the buying power of anglers in
different regions of the country. This 225-page report, available on
CD to ASA members for $125 (and $250 for others), contains a wealth
of information on angler demographics, expenditures, and preferred species
and other data that differentiates the habits of avid and average anglers.
Copies can be ordered using the form under Fishing
Statistics or contact Special Projects Director Forbes
Darby, 703.519.9691 x222.
New Member Benefit: We’ve just
linked up with another partner to add a new member benefit to our full
package of discounts, services, and conveniences that come with ASA membership.
Members can take advantage of special services from Myrs Credit Service
and Advisors to help with credit checks or use the service to establish
credit. For more information, contact Membership Director Ric Ice, 703.519.9691 x234. You may also visit Myrs’ Web site or call 816.421.1919.
Policy Watch on Hydropower & Fish Passage: ASA, the American Fly Fishing Trade Association, and the National Marine Manufacturers Association recently teamed up to encourage key Senators to support solid language for fisheries in a provision of national energy legislation. Especially important was maintaining current standards for fishway passage on many of the nation’s rivers. The bill ended up passing in the Senate last week. ASA and a strong coalition of partners will now work together to encourage key players in Congress to consider alternative language when the energy bill is considered in conference committee this fall, with some Senators indicating they will be supportive of changes. For more information, contact Vice President Gordon Robertson, 703.519.9691x237.
Working More Wonders: More than 150 ASA members recently responded to an important survey from the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation on the progress of the Water Works Wonders campaign, the industry and partners’
promotional effort to grow fishing and boating participation. Input
from members, along with hundreds of responses from the boating industry
and government and conservation partners, will be used to make key decisions
about the campaign’s focus and strategies over the next 5 years.
Speaking of the campaign, Bass Pro Shops and Plano Molding Company were
honored during ICAST with first-ever awards for leadership for their
innovative uses of Water Works Wonders cooperative marketing materials.
The Water Works Wonders Retailer and Manufacturer of the Year Awards
will be given at each year’s ICAST from now on. For more information,
contact Communications Director Janet Tennyson, 703.519.9691 x227.
Marlin Reporting Key to Worldwide Recovery:
We need ASA media members’ help with spreading the word to Atlantic
saltwater anglers about important regulations related to marlin landings.
To maintain a leadership role in marlin recovery in the international
community, the U.S. has capped recreational marlin landings at 250 fish,
a necessary measure to give the U.S. standing to push for dramatic reductions
in other countries’ landings (where 97 percent of marlin mortality
occurs). Later this summer, the National Marine Fisheries Service will
be seeking input from anglers on special reporting requirements for
marlin landings in U.S. waters, ultimately to ensure credible numbers
to support the U.S. during international negotiations on marlin recovery.
For more information, contact Communications Director Janet Tennyson, 703.519.9691 x227;
or Special Projects Director Forbes
Darby, 703.519.9691 x222.
Forward Motion on Freedom to Fish:
Rhode Island’s Governor Don Carcieri signed the Rhode Island Freedom
to Fish and Marine Conservation Act in July, establishing standards
that must be met before no-fishing marine protected areas are established
in state waters. ASA, the Recreational Fishing Alliance, Coastal Conservation
Association, and other partners hailed the law’s passage as a
reasonable approach meeting the spirit of conservation and recognizing
the values of outdoor recreation. Meanwhile, Congressman Jim Saxton
re-introduced Freedom to Fish Act legislation in the U.S. Congress in
July, and Senator John Breaux intends to introduce a similar version
in the Senate in September. For more information, contact Special Projects
Director Forbes Darby,
703.519.9691 x222.
Welcome New Board Members: Congratulations and thank you to industry leaders joining ASA’s Board of Directors for the 2003/2004 term: Ed Dinkins, Bass Pro Shops; Jim Lebson, G.Loomis; Blair Wickstrom, Florida Sportsman magazine; and Gary Zurn, Big Rock Sports. Current Board members Clem Dippel, BASS/ESPN; Fred Neal, Cabela’s; and Dick Pool, Pro-Troll, also were reelected for another term in this year’s election. ASA’s Board of Directors represents all 550 members, setting priorities and developing strategies to address the business interests of the industry. The Board also oversees the Association’s revenues, investments, and spending. For more information, contact Office Manager and Board Liaison Joyce Anderson-Logan, 703.519.9691 x233.
President's Corner
(Deferred this time to ICAST Director Maria del Valle)
I want to say a special thank you to everyone who came to ICAST 2003 to be a part of this year’s strong trade event. I have had the privilege of hearing from so many of you about how productive the show was this year, and I couldn’t be more pleased. When I became Show Director a few years ago, it was a much different story. ASA had tried to reinvent the show and experimented with different venues, but it simply didn’t work. We listened to you when you told us to get back to the basics and focus on making ICAST a strong venue for the sportfishing trade once again. The hardest part was wanting to deliver quickly yet knowing we needed to take the time to deal with all the little things that make for a successful period of rebuilding.
That’s why to me, it’s especially gratifying to see we’ve come all this way, and we have new opportunities to pursue to continue to make the show strong and vital. Thanks to all the feedback from members, hard work from all the ASA staff, and especially the Show Committee, which has dedicated countless hours and personal attention to revitalize ICAST, we can now say we’re producing a show that brings a solid return on investment for exhibitors and buyers alike. And today, there is strong consensus that we should continue to encourage independent dealers to attend the show. We are developing new approaches to promote the show and make it valuable to the new attendees we’re targeting. But we’ll never lose our focus on delivering the best services to our exhibitors and other members. That’s a promise from all of us at ASA.
