February 2006 American Sportfishing Association Member Update
Member Updates are e-mailed monthly to members of the American Sportfishing
Association and our partners on issues of interest to the future of
fishing. For more information, contact ASA
Communications, 703.519.9691.
This is a partial list of the topics covered in this update. Please
scroll down for the complete document. Previous ASA Member Updates
are available in the ASA
Newsroom.
Look for the new ASA Policy Watch Update in your e-mail beginning
in March!
ASA Excise Tax Committee Meets with IRS
ASA Excise Tax Committee Sends Requests to IRS
New Policy Watch Distribution in March
Upcoming ASA Board Meeting
Mike Nussman and ASA Members Visit Japan
ICAST 2006 Registration Opens in March
New Product Showcase Expands for 2006
It’s Report Card Time Again! 2006 Member Survey Coming in March
2006 Sportfishing Summit—Mark Your Calendars for Sunny San Diego
National Fishing and Boating Week 2006
Welcome New Members!
ASA to Co-Host Congressional Casting Call on April 24
Nominations for ASA National Awards Due in May
Policy Watch—Government Affairs Update
Future Fisherman Foundation Updates
FishAmerica Foundation Updates
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
ASA Excise Tax Committee Meets with IRS
ASA’s Excise Tax Committee met on January 30 to prepare for the January
31 meeting with IRS. In attendance were the Excise Tax Committee members,
ASA’s Gordon Robertson and ASA’s excise tax attorneys. The IRS
explained the steps they have taken for fair and consistent application
if the excise tax law. These steps include: establishing better communications
within IRS with a continuous training program; establishing better
coordination by designating lead staff in the areas of policy management;
establishing a policy contact representative for industry and IRS agents,
and; designating a single legal counsel for federal excise tax issues.
The IRS provided hard copies of two documents (not for release) which
the IRS said will be finalized in approximately 30 days (from January
31) as an “Industry Director’s Directive.” This document
will not have the same force as a revenue ruling, but it does indicate
the IRS’s view on archery
and sportfish excise tax issues. This is the document that agents will
use as guidance when reviewing excise taxpayers. The IRS also announced
that it was in the process of preparing a revenue ruling relating to
excise taxes on archery and sportfishing equipment. While not specifically
noting what this ruling may contain, the IRS indicated that it would
address the Storm vs. U.S. case from the late 1980s. For more information,
contact Mike Nussman,
x233, or Gordon Robertson,
x237.
ASA Excise Tax Committee Sends Requests to IRS
In February, ASA, by request
of the Excise Tax Committee and in keeping with its original tenets,
sent two requests to the IRS: 1) include language in the revenue ruling
being drafted that would address sportfishing companies using a trading
company that can document excise taxes paid and the ability of that
company to receive a credit for those taxes; and 2) the IRS must take
into consideration that their revised interpretation of essential terms
has lead to companies being out of compliance and that companies which
can document that they have designed their business model according
to IRS reviews and audits should not be penalized for the IRS's inconsistent
application of the law. For more information, contact Mike
Nussman, x233, or Gordon
Robertson, x237.
New Policy Watch Distribution in March
ASA’s Government Affairs team is diligent in watching
out for the interests of the sportfishing industry and sportfishing
community. In order to better serve our members, in March, ASA will
begin e-mailing a separate ASA Policy Watch Update. Please watch your
e-mail as we continually look for better ways to keep the sportfishing
industry informed. For more information, contact Mary
Jane Williamson, x227.
Upcoming ASA Board Meeting
The ASA Board of Directors is scheduled to meet Friday, March 3, 2005, in conjunction
with the ASA/Fred Hall Fishing Tackle and Boat Show in Long Beach, Calif. The
Show Committee meets Saturday morning, March 4. The Nominating Committee meets
the morning of March 3, prior to the Board meeting. Please contact Joyce
Anderson, x233, for more information.
ASA’s Nussman and ASA Members Visit Japan
ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman traveled to Japan with ASA
members Dave Pfeiffer, ASA Board chairman and executive vice president,
Shimano American Corporation, other members of the Shimano team; Geoff
Ratte, sales manager, Water Gremlin; Mark Masterson, president, Yakima
Bait Company and Toshio Nishioka, president, Fuji-Toki California, Inc.,
to attend the Japan International Sportfishing Show and meet with members
of the Japan Fishing Tackle Manufacturers Association and the Japanese
Sportfishing Association. Nussman reported on current ASA activities.
Nussman, Pfeiffer and the Shimano team also visited Shimano corporate
headquarters.
ICAST 2006—Registration/Sponsorships/Exhibitor Promo Pak
With the show floor completely sold out, ICAST 2006 is the hottest
sportfishing ticket in town. Booth space contracts continue to
roll in, but with 100 percent sold, remaining space is available only
on a wait list. Exhibitor registration http://www.asafishing.org/asa/shows_events/icast/ is
open with ICAST attendee registration due to open during the first week
of March. ICAST 2006 attendee registration brochures go out in
the mail this week. Sponsorship opportunities are now available and have
been mailed out to 2006 exhibitors and will soon be offered to the entire
ASA membership. The finishing touches are now being put on the Exhibitor
Promo Pak which is slated to mail to all exhibitors in early March. Once
again, ICAST will coincide with the National Marine Manufacturers Association’s
Marine After Market and Accessories Trade Show (MAATS). ICAST 2007 is
scheduled for July 11-13 in Las Vegas. For more information on
any and all things ICAST, please contact Kelly
Camirand, x231.
New Product Showcase Expands for 2006
This year, the New Product Showcase, the show’s flagship feature,
is expected to draw even bigger crowds and turn heads as competition
for the "Best of Show" awards intensifies. In order
to accommodate more equitable product voting, we’ve expanded
our product categories for 2006. The Rod and Reel categories
have both been split into freshwater and saltwater and we’ve
added a new category for the growing Eyewear industry. Additionally,
Electronics will become its own category while Boating Accessories
and Giftware have been consolidated into one category. Exhibitors
will now have the opportunity to compete in a total of 16 product categories
as well as the overall Best of Show. Look to the upcoming Exhibitor
Promo Pak for complete information and official rules of the New Product
Showcase. Questions concerning the New Product Showcase should be directed
to Brad Fisher, x222.
It’s Report Card Time Again! 2006 Member Survey Coming in March
A lot has happened in the sportfishing industry and in the association
since the 2004 Member Survey—new staff, new members and new
programs—and we want to know how we’re doing as your
association. The 2006 ASA Member Survey will be mailed hard copy with
a stamped reply envelope the week of March 27. It will also be e-mailed
and made available on ASA’s Web site for downloading and faxing
to ASA. For more information, contact Mary
Jane Williamson, x227.
2006 Sportfishing Summit—Mark Your Calendars for Sunny San Diego
ASA invites its members and partners to join us for the 2006
Sportfishing Summit scheduled for October 18–20 at the Paradise
Point Resort and Spa in
San Diego, Calif. ASA plans to have a program in place and information
distributed before ICAST 2006. For more information, contact Mary
Jane Williamson, x227.
National Fishing and Boating Week 2006
ASA’s 2006 National
Fishing and Boating Week events will
be held on June 5–7, 2006 in the Washington, D.C. area. Highlights
of the event include a members and guests reception and boat cruise on
the Potomac River; a luncheon with federal and state agency representatives;
various ASA committee meetings; a Capitol Hill reception and meetings
with Members of Congress and federal agency administrators. Please plan
to attend and make your voice heard on important sportfishing issues.
For more information, contact Patrick
O’Rouke, x230.
Welcome New Members!
ASA welcomes these new members or members who reinstated their
membership in January and February: Ardent Outdoors, Inc., Macon, MO; Florida
Fishing Weekly, Jupiter, FL; Glory Bag, Bumpass, VA; Glory Hole
Tackle, Saddle Brook, NJ; Land & Sea, Newtown, CT; Newitems Trading
Shenyang Company, Ltd., Shenyang, China; Opti-Tackle Company, LLC, Brook
Park, MN; Pacific Coast Sunglasses, Inc., Santa Maria, CA; Permission
to Hunt's Ultimate Outdoors, Fort Dodge, IA; Pescador Brand Apparel Company,
LLC, Columbia, SC; Piscesian Tackle, Inc., Arcadia, CA; PlugCaster Lures,
LLC, Princeton, NJ; Swift Cast, Corona, CA; The Fisherman Magazine,
Shirley, NY; Western Outdoor Publications, San Clemente, CA; and Woody
Lure Company, Oklahoma City, OK.
ASA to Co-Host Congressional Casting Call on April 24
On April 24, ASA, along with the American Fly Fishing Trade Association,
the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will welcome Members of Congress to
the 7th annual Congressional Casting Call event on the Potomac River,
Washington, D.C. The highlight of the event is fishing for American
and Hickory Shad during their annual run up the Potomac. This year’s
Casting Call will also serve as the official roll-out for the National
Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP), supported by a nationwide coalition
of federal and state agencies, conservation groups and industry aimed
at restoring fisheries habitat across the country. This unprecedented
plan, modeled after the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, promises
to enhance cooperation of governmental agencies and stakeholders and
begin managing fisheries in new, innovative ways. Please make plans
to join us at this event and let the nation’s policy-makers know
how important the NFHAP is to the sportfishing industry and enjoy some
excellent fishing in the process. For more information, visit the Casting
Call Web site or contact Patrick
O’Rouke, x230.
Nominations for ASA National Awards Due in May
During National Fishing and Boating Week, ASA shines the spotlight
on those who have gone above and beyond to promote recreational fishing
and boating. The nominations for the Norville Prosser Lifetime Achievement and Future of Fishing Awards
are due to ASA by May 5. For more information, contact Policy Fellow Patrick
O’Rouke, x230.
Policy Watch—Government Affairs Update
For more information on ASA Government Affairs activities, contact Gordon
Robertson, VP and Government Affairs lead, x237 or Carol
Forthman, director, Ocean Resource Policy, x244.
ASA Pushes for Chesapeake Menhaden Reduction Harvest Cap
In
2005, ASA, along with Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) and a
number of other recreational interest groups, succeeded in having the
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) place a cap on
the menhaden harvest in the Chesapeake Bay. The Virginia Legislature
failed to adopt the ASMFC cap and the issue now goes back to the ASMFC
which will determine whether to find the state out of compliance. Such
a finding could lead NOAA to impose a moratorium on all menhaden fishing
in Virginia. ASA is continuing to work with the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation
Partnership, CCA and other groups to support the out of compliance
finding by the Commission.
Administration Rolls Out NOAA’s Budget Proposal
In February,
NOAA released the administration's proposed budget for Fiscal Year
2007 (FY07). Compared with 2006’s budget, the administration's
request is $227 million or 5.8 percent below the FY07 proposed budget.
The National Marine Fisheries Service and the National Ocean Service,
respectively, are $73.8 million and $177.4 million less than the agency
received in the FY06 budget. The administration's proposal will be
considered by Congress which determines the final budget numbers. ASA
will work to ensure adequate funding for programs critical to recreational
fishing.
Administration Proposes New Funding for National Fish Habitat
Initiative
The administration has proposed $3 million in funding
for the National Fish Habitat Action Plan under the National Fish
Habitat Initiative (NFHI). The funding, which appears in the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) Fisheries Program budget, would
support fish habitat projects identified by partnerships established
under the action plan. In FY 2006, $1 million was made available
for these purposes. NFHI is a national program bringing together federal
and state agencies along with numerous private groups and public agencies
and organizations to create a grant program to fund fish habitat restoration.
The NFHI Core Work group met during the recent Bassmaster Classic in
Orlando, Fla., to continue organizing the effort. Gordon Robertson of
ASA is a member of NFHI's core working group.
Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation Hosts Congressional
Reception
In February, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation held
a reception to welcome back members of Congress to the second session
of the 109th Congress. ASA staff attended the reception and used
the opportunity to meet with many of its partners in Congress. Speaking
at the event were Caucus co-chairs Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA),
Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE), Representative Adam Putnam (R-FL) and Representative
Leonard Boswell (D-IA).
ASA Invited to Administration Preview of Federal Budget Request
In
February, ASA, by invitation, attended a preview of the President’s
federal budget request hosted by James Connaughton, chairman of the
President’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). Those
in attendance heard from representatives of CEQ, the Department of
the Interior, Department of Agriculture, NOAA (Department of Commerce)
and Department of Defense regarding highlights in the budget request
as they relate to conservation. ASA will work to ensure that the new
initiatives survive through the FY 2007 budget process.
Clean Water Trust Fund Act of 2005 Progressing
ASA continues
to strategize with supporters of the Clean Water Trust Fund Act (CHR
4560). New supporting organizations have recently
been added, bringing to 23 the current number of groups signing on
to the legislation.
ASA Attends American Fisheries Society Meeting in San Antonio
ASA
attended the American Fisheries Society’s Southern Division
Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, held February 9-12. Representatives
from a number of states, ranging from Texas to Maryland, attended the
meeting where a wide range of fisheries issues were discussed. Among
the highlights of the meeting was an angler/biologist/industry interaction
workshop organized by BASS/ESPN.
Future Fisherman Foundation Updates
For more information on Future Fisherman activities contact
Mike Bolinder,
x238, Laura Jerome, x254
or Jesse Graytock, x224.
PE Grants Initiative Grant Requests Due—NEW DEADLINE!
The Future Fisherman Foundation, in partnership with the Recreational
Boating and Fishing Foundation, the American Association for Leisure
and Recreation and the National Association for Sport and Physical
Education, is accepting applications for the 2006/2007 National Physical
Education Grants Initiative. Final applications are due on
April 14, 2006, for the 2006/2007 school year. Please
note that the deadline has been extended. Based on the number
of applications over the past four years, the foundation is expecting
a record number of applications for the upcoming school year. The grant
application and other grant information is available at www.futurefisherman.org.
FishAmerica Foundation Updates
For more information about FishAmerica activities, contact Johanna
Laderman, x245 or Jeff Bloem,
x247. For more information about the Gulf Fund, contact John Bryan.
FishAmerica Gulf Fund
The FishAmerica Gulf Fund has been steadily
raising funds to restore sportfish habitat and facilities devastated
by Gulf Coast hurricanes. The
funds have come from direct donations and many partnerships. Everyone
can show their support for restoring Gulf Coast sportfishing by purchasing
an Operation F.I.S.H ball cap or by ordering a discounted subscription
to In-Fisherman, Fly Fisherman, and Walleye In-Sider.
A special thanks to Zebco/WCB and Primedia for their help with these
partnerships. For more information, please visit www.fishamerica.org or
contact John Bryan.
Pro Line Manufacturing Nears $350,000 in Donations
Two recent
donations have Pro Line Manufacturing nearing $350,000 in donation
to the FishAmerica Foundation to support FishAmerica efforts to improve
sportfishing through fish population and habitat enhancement and water
quality improvement in the US. The donations are a
portion of the proceeds from ProGear wader sales in Wal-Mart Stores.
Since 2001, Pro Line’s donations have helped FishAmerica fund
projects to improve fisheries habitat for salmon, trout, and striped
bass and to create new fishing opportunities for families. For
more information visit Pro Line Manufacturing.
Projects Open Rivers to Fish Passage
The FishAmerica Foundation,
through it’s partnership with the
US Fish and Wildlife Services’ Partners for Fish and Wildlife
program in Region 5, awarded $145,000 to four states in the northeastern
United States. These projects leveraged more than $800,000 from
federal, state and local partners. In association with other
initiatives, these six projects will reopen access to approximately
94 miles migratory water and 648 acres of valuable spawning and rearing
habitat.
Near Record Number of Proposals Received
FishAmerica received
58 proposals requesting more than $2 million in funding to restore
habitat important to marine and anadromous fish species (salmon and
striped bass) along coastal America and the Great Lakes. FishAmerica
and the NOAA Restoration Center will be awarding up to $800,000 for these
community-based grassroots projects with individual grant awards up to
$50,000. This eight-year partnership has awarded more than $3.5 million
for community projects to restore sportfish habitat in 25 states. The
grants will be awarded by June 30after approval by FishAmerica’s
Conservation Committee.
FishAmerica Contributors
Since October 1, 35 members of the American Sportfishing
Association have donated more than $37,700 through
direct donations, FishAmerica Gulf Fund donations, licensed-product
sales, tournament partnerships and endowment donations. These
members include: American Rod & Gun; Angler's Choice by Suncoast; Bass
Pro Shops; Calderone & Associates; Captain Hook Enterprises,
LLC; Carrera-Werner Sales Company; Citti Sales; Cixi City Boyang
Fishing Tackle Co., Ltd.; Emmrod Fishing Gear, LLC; E-Tackle,
Inc.; Ferguson-Keller & Associates, Inc.; Fishing and Hunting News;
FLW Outdoors; Frank and Fran's Fisherman's Friend; G.Loomis; KFM & Associates;
Kureha America Inc.; Lamiglas, Inc.; Lipper Tools, Inc.; LJS Endeavors,
Inc.; Ludwikoski and Associates, Inc.; Magic Products, Inc.; NETGRA;
Pacific Products; Pelagic, LLC; Pro Line Manufacturing; Reel
E Good Products, Inc.; Shimano American Corporation; Sportco Marketing,
Inc.; Sports, Inc.; Thomas Spinning Lures, Inc.; Tormenter
Fishing Products; TTI-Blakemore Fishing Group; Yakima Bait Company;
and Zebco/WC Bradley. Names in bold are new since
the January 2006 update.
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
I have to hand it to the folks at BASS/ESPN for the outstanding
job they do in producing the Bassmaster Classic. I have attended
several of the Classics, the most recent in Orlando, Fla.,
and the enthusiasm and energy generated by the anglers and
the thousands of people in the audience for the daily weigh-ins
are a sight to see. Honestly, if someone would have come to
me with a business plan that said a competition involving anglers
with bass boats and bags of fish would eventually add up to
something akin to the Super Bowl; I would have said, “No
way. It can’t be done.”
But it was done. What it took was the ability to combine the
passion that this group of anglers have for their sport with
the love of competition in a forum that everyone can share
and enjoy. These days, we take grand scale tournament fishing
for granted, but it wasn’t always that way. It took entrepreneurship
and innovation to create it.
I’ve been putting a lot of thought to this and, my friends;
innovation is what it’s all about. As an industry, we
have to get our minds wrapped around that concept. “Hooked
on Innovation” is the central theme for this year’s
trade show in Las Vegas, but it needs to be the central theme
to everything we do in this industry. Somehow, just like our
friends at BASS, we must combine the strong traditions of our
sport with the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation to
create products and experiences that make people want to come
back for more.
If you think about it, what is new in fishing? What’s
new in tackle? What’s new in fisheries? What are the
new destinations? What are consumers looking for? Who would
have thought, say ten years ago, that anglers would be willing
to pay $500 for a reel? That’s not to say that everyone
is going to be at that end of the spectrum, but we need to
encourage new product innovation. We need to push the boundaries
of what we offer to our customers and put profit back into
the industry.
That’s where the ICAST New Product Showcase comes in.
To encourage and foster innovation and ingenuity in this industry—and
that’s what the Showcase is really about—there
is no better venue than the New Product Showcase. This year,
we’ve strengthened the program to ensure that what you
see displayed there is the newest and the best in the tackle
industry. In fact, winning an ICAST “Best of Show” award
should be the aspiration of every member of the tackle industry.
It’s my goal, and the goal of the Show Committee, that
ten years from now, if you’re a member of the tackle
industry, no matter where you are in the world, you’re
going to do everything you can to be at ICAST. Because only
at ICAST will you find the innovations that drive this sport,
creating the memories and experiences that truly do keep people
coming back for more.
I look forward to seeing you in July at ICAST 2006!
