A periodic information source for members of the American Sportfishing
Association and partners on issues of interest to the future of fishing.
December 2004
Upcoming ASA Meetings
The ASA Board of Directors is scheduled to meet Friday, March 4, 2005, in
conjunction with the ASA/Fred Hall Show in Long Beach, CA. The Show
Committee meets Thursday, March 3. The Nominating Committee meets the
morning of March 4, prior to the Board meeting. Please contact Joyce
Anderson, executive assistant, 703.519.9691, x233, for more information
or to confirm attendance. The Government Affairs Committee is meeting
January 13 in San Francisco during the ASA/Fred Hall Show to discuss
Congressional strategy. Committee members should contact
Gordon, 703.519.9691, x237,
or Deanna Wood,
703.519.9691, x228, to confirm attendance.
Doing Business in China
For those of you who missed China expert Michael
Colopy’s 2004 Summit
presentation on doing business with China, his erudite comments are
available on CD (90 minutes), free-of-charge, to ASA members. For non-ASA
members, the price is $100. Please send your request, along with
shipping address (and payment if required), to Mary Jane Williamson,
703.519.9691, x227, or ASA, 225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 420, Alexandria,
VA, 22314.
CA Anglers’ Caucus
The 1st Annual Northern California Anglers’ Caucus
will meet for a breakfast briefing on Sat., Jan. 15, 2005 during the ASA/Fred
Hall Show in San Francisco. Mike Nussman, along with representatives from
state agencies and anglers groups, will be there to brief breakfast attendees.
The show is scheduled from Jan. 12-16. Go to http://www.fredhall.com for
more information.
ICAST-ing in 2005—Watch the Web
As of December 10, 222 exhibitors
have reserved 954 booths for ICAST 2005 which is 109 more booths than the
same week in 2004. ICAST once again
appears to be moving to a sell out show with more than 83 percent of
the current floor space already reserved. Now available on the ASA
Website, are the most frequently asked questions about ICAST, as well
as the updated floor plan and Exhibitors List. Sponsorship opportunities
are complete and will be made available to exhibitors in early January
2005. Registration
is scheduled to open in late January. ICAST is scheduled for July
20-22, 2005. For more information, contact Maria
del Valle, 703.519.9691 x240, or Suzannah
Weeks, 703.519.9691, x231.
Welcome New Members!
Members new to ASA since the 2004 Summit (October)
are: Alpine Innovations,
BALSAX, Bitin Titan Lures/Noble Metals, Ellock Company, Enrico Puglisi,
Ltd., Kinnucan's, Maximum Marketing, Inc., Millard Bait and Tackle
and Rogue Rods.
Third Quarter Market Indicators Available Online
Check the ASA Website for the latest
quarterly reports on fishing license
sales, tackle imports and rainfall trends. These reports cover the
third quarter of 2004 and are part of our efforts to provide date
relevant for our members.
Questions, ideas or suggestions for additional data and statistics,
contact Mary Jane Williamson,
703.519.9691, x227.
Policy Watch—Government Affairs Update
Partner meetings. ASA arranged a meeting with Under Secretary Mark
Rey, Department of Agriculture, to encourage the Forest Service to form a
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) committee called the Sportfishing and
Aquatic Resource Council. The council would establish a formal process for
communication between the Forest Service and the fisheries and aquatic community
and provide support to improve sportfishing and aquatic resources through
partnerships on National Forests. Also attending the meeting were representatives
from The Nature Conservancy, American Fisheries Society, BASS/ESPN Outdoors
and Trout Unlimited.
ASA attended the inaugural annual meeting of the National Assembly of State
Caucuses comprised of state legislative sportsmen’s caucuses. Twenty-one
states have sportsmen’s caucuses with 23 states represented at the
meeting by legislators.
ASA met with various groups in support of a new bill called the Clean and
Safe Water Trust Fund. A major section of the bill is comprised of language
taken directly from the Fishable Waters Act. There is an aggressive plan
to introduce the bill into Congress in Spring 2005. ASA reviewed the bill
to ensure the language is consistent with the former Fishable Waters Act
legislation and submitted comments in early December.
Excise Tax. The Excise Tax Working Group, consisting of ASA, USFWS,
IRS, NSSF, Archery Trade Association (ATA), Sporting Arms and Ammunition
Manufacturers Association (SAMI), Customs, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade
Bureau (TTB), Office of Tax Analysis (OTA), Bureau of Public Debt (BPD),
American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFTA) and representatives of state
fish and wildlife agencies, created a multi-day training session for tax
agents on how to correctly and consistently enforce collection of the tax.
The training took place on Dec. 8-10. The working group also met separately
to discuss tax fairness issues and how to address them.
Mercury Issues. FishNet met with representatives of the Center
for Science and Public Policy regarding mercury and fishing. FishNet members
were briefed on a report that counters many of the current messages
delivered to the public about mercury. To view the report, go to
http://ff.org/centers/csspp/pdf/mercury092804.pdf.
Dues Due!
The annual membership dues invoices were sent in late November
with a December 15 due date. If you didn’t receive your invoice or
have questions, contact Ann Sweeney,
703.519.9691, x241.
Keepin’ Up
The Fall 2004 ASA newsletter will arrive in mailboxes the week of December
20. An online version can be viewed and downloaded from the ASA Website
in the Newsroom. The 2004
Sportfishing Summit Summary is also available
on the ASA Website.
Conservation and Education
Future Fisherman Foundation. The National Fishing and Boating Education
Grants Initiative administered $150,000 to 34 schools during the 2003/2004
school year: 56 percent of these schools focused solely on fishing, 29 percent
focused on boating with 15 percent focusing on both fishing and boating.
The National Fishing and Boating Education Grants request for proposals
was sent in November for the 2005/2006 school year. Copies of the grant
application and general information are available at www.futurefisherman.org.
All grant applications are due by March 4, 2005.
Pacific Bay International, Inc. joined Tackle Box, the Foundation’s
E-Store. Pacific Bay is making rod-building kits available to youth organizations,
such as 4-H Sportfishing Clubs, that include rod-building in their angling
instruction.
FishAmerica Foundation. The Conservation and Research Committees
now have for consideration project proposals for the seven Wal-Mart
FLW Tour events valued at $35,000. FishAmerica
also has proposals for water quality and fisheries restoration and
improvement in the Chesapeake Bay and its MD tributaries. The Chesapeake
Bay proposals fall under the foundation’s partnership with the Chesapeake
Bay Trust which funds grants up to $25,000. Pending approval, these
grants will be awarded in May 2005. Through FishAmerica’s partnership
with the NOAA Restoration Center, $600,000 is available for marine
and anadromous fish habitat restoration in the U.S.A. Proposals are
due February 28, 2005. Pending
approval, grants up to $50,000 each will be awarded in June 2005. Visit www.fishamerica.org for
more information or contact Johanna
Laderman, 703.519.9691, x245.
Up through 12/15, 18 members of the American Sportfishing Association donated
more than $30,000 through membership dues donations, endowment pledges and
FishAmerica-licensed product sales to the Foundation. They are: Angler's
Choice/Suncoast of America, LLC, Aqua-Scent, Boone Bait , Do-It Corporation,
Emmrod Fishing Gear, Frank & Fran's Fisherman's Friend, Inc., Gudebrod,
Inc., HMT Marketing, Inc., Lamiglas, Inc., Ludwikoski and Associates, Inc.,
Mercury Marine, NETGRA, O. Mustad & Son (USA) Inc., Pro Line Manufacturing,
Reel E Good Products, Sphere Group Inc./Pro Baiter, Sportco Marketing, Inc.
and Yakima Bait Company.
Inauguration Trivia: What do George Bush and John Adams have in common?
FYI—here
is the link to the official Inauguration
Web site. Inauguration trivia: did you know that George W. Bush is
only the second president in history whose father was also president?
The first was John Adams (2nd) and John Quincy Adams (6th). Other
interesting facts:
- Harry Truman was the first to be inaugurated on TV in 1949.
- Bill Clinton was the first to broadcast his inauguration on the
Internet.
- The only grandfather / grandson pair is William Henry Harrison
(9th) and Benjamin Harrison (23rd).
- Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first to be inaugurated on the January
20th date, a change made by the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.
Message from Mike Nussman, ASA president and CEO
2004 was a good year
for ASA. I am pleased to say that FY 2004 ended on the mark with revenues
exceeding the budget and expenses coming in slightly below budget. From
the membership perspective, our roster grew by 13 percent, the third year
in a row of double digit growth. We continue to look at retailers to grow
our membership; not just for our benefit but for theirs’ as
well. We believe that we can be a voice for the sportfishing community,
from manufacturers to retailers, but it’s up to us to invite them in.
Over the next several years, I’d like to see our membership expand
to better represent every sector of the industry. In unity there is
strength.
Regarding ASA shows and events, ICAST, once again, looks like its going
to be a sell-out show. The New Product Showcase gets better each year,
with the industry vying for “Best in Show” honors and the bragging
rights—and media coverage—that come with it. What tackle
retailer wouldn’t want to advertise that he or she has in-stock the
items voted the very best of the new products on the market? It’s
a win-win for everyone. Our 2005 Sportfishing Summit is set to take
place October 5-7 at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla. We set
a high bar with the 2004 event, but I am confident that we will not
only meet, but exceed the expectations of our members.
As we move into 2005, I believe that we’ll continue to grapple with
on-going challenges, such as expanding the marketplace, proposed bans
on lead in fishing tackle and new proposals for no-fishing zones, as
well as new challenges to recreational fishing. However, that is what we
are here to do. I believe that the most fundamental role of your association
is to protect your long-term interests and to look out for you on policies
that affect your business. We know you need to stay focused on your
sales today and in the next quarter. Our job is to look out for your
tomorrow, to keep an eye on the horizon for the next decade and help
you be prepared so that 10 years from now, the industry, the sport, and your
bottom line are better off than they are today.
