July 2008 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.
BELOW IS A LIST OF TOPICS IN THIS UPDATE. Please scroll down
for the complete document. Previous ASA Member Updates are available
in the ASA
Newsroom.
Each month ASA e-mails an update on its Government Affairs activities
called Policy Watch. These documents can be found in the Government
Affairs section of ASA’s
Web site.
2008 Sportfishing Summit
2008 Sportfishing Summit Registration
2008 Sportfishing Summit Sponsorship Opportunities
ICAST 2008 Highlights!
ICAST Industry Breakfast
Anglers’ Legacy Innovations Awards Announced
New Product Showcase “Best of Show”
Thank You ICAST 2008 Sponsors!
Exhibiting at ICAST 2009
ASA/Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Exposition Update
June/July 2007 Issue of American Sportfishing Available on Web
Welcome New Members!
FishAmerica Foundation Updates
Future Fisherman Foundation Updates
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
2008 Sportfishing Summit—Mark Your Calendar for October
This year, the 2008 Sportfishing Summit will focus on four issues of change that will affect the way the industry does business. Supply changes, natural resource management changes, distribution changes and political changes will all impact the industry in the months and years to come. Make sure you attend the Summit to learn how all these changes will affect how you do business. The Summit is ASA’s membership meeting and premier networking event. Please save the date for the 2008 Sportfishing Summit, October 29 – 31, at San Luis Resort in Galveston, Texas. For more information, contact Mary Jane Williamson, x227, or Ryan Colaianni, x222.
2008 Sportfishing Summit Registration Coming Soon!
Information regarding Summit registration and hotel reservations will be available on ASA’s Web site by mid-August. Registration materials will be mailed at the same time. ASA will also send notification by e-mail. Please watch your inboxes for Summit materials. For more information, contact Mary Jane Williamson, x227, or Ryan Colaianni, x222.
2008 Sportfishing Summit Sponsorship Opportunities
Build name recognition and make a statement to the leaders in the sportfishing industry by sponsoring an event at the American Sportfishing Association’s annual gathering of members and partners – The Sportfishing Summit. Let us help you figure out a sponsorship that meets your needs and your budget. Please contact Jill Calabria, Membership Director, at (703) 519-9691, x234.
ICAST 2008 Highlights
From July 16-18, 7,000 representatives of the global sportfishing community came together for ICAST 2008, the world’s largest sportfishing tradeshow. With a sold-out show floor for the seventh consecutive year, ICAST 2008 featured 433 exhibitors filling 1,350 booths. Nearly 2,000 buyers and over 400 members of the media were in attendance. There were 800 attendees from 55 countries, up 15 percent from last year. ICAST also co-located with the Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show (MAATS), produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), allowing more than 10,000 attendees to walk both show floors. For more information, please contact Kenneth Andres, x231, or Maria del Valle, x240.
ICAST Industry Breakfast
More than 500 people attended the Industry Breakfast. In their comments, Mike Nussman, ASA president and CEO, Randy Lemcke, ASA Board of Directors Chairman, Darrell Lowrance, ASA Board of Directors and Government Affairs Committee member and Frank Peterson, Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation President and CEO, addressed the importance of access and participation in the sportfishing industry.
Anglers’ Legacy Innovations’ Awards Announced
At the ICAST Industry Breakfast, ASA released the country’s first top-10 list of the products that changed the way people recreationally fish as determined by a survey of the nation’s most avid anglers. ASA partnered with the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation to survey the foundation’s thousands of Anglers’ Legacy Ambassadors, the country’s most avid anglers, who voted for the products they feel have been most instrumental in shaping the sport over the past seven and a half decades. The winners were Rapala’s Original Floater Minnow (1936); Spring loaded bobber (1947); Mitchell 300 (1949), currently manufactured by Pure Fishing; Creme Lure Co.’s, Creme Plastic Worm (1949); Zero Hour Bomb Company’s Closed Face Spincast Reel (1949), currently manufactured by ZEBCO Brands; Lowrance Electronics Inc.’s Lowrance Fish Lo-K-Tor (1957), currently manufactured by Lowrance/Navico; DuPont Stren’s Monofilament Line (1958), currently manufactured by Pure Fishing; Minn Kota’s Minn Kota Trolling Motor (1958), currently manufactured by Johnson Outdoors; Fenwick High Modulus Graphite Rod (1972),currently manufactured by Pure Fishing; and Shakespeare Ugly Stick (1976), currently manufactured by Pure Fishing.
New Product Showcase “Best of Show”
The New Product Showcase, the flagship feature of ICAST, occupied an expanded section of the show floor and included 695 new products from 190 companies. The Curado E Series, a freshwater reel from Shimano American Corp., was voted by buyers and media as the most innovative product in both the Freshwater Rod category and in the overall “Best of Show” category. Shimano also won “Best of Show” honors in the Saltwater Rod and Saltwater Reel categories. Other winners in the 2008 New Product Showcase are: Bert’s Custom Tackle, Boating Accessory; E21 Fishing, Clothing; Humminbird, Electronics; Old Harbor Outfitters, Eyewear; CTI Industries Corp., Fishing Accessory; Anglers Book Supply, Giftware; Mystic Tackleworks, Hard Lure; Shakespeare, Kid’s Tackle; Pure Fishing, Line and Soft Lure; FisherGirl, Inc., Reel/Rod Combo; Plano Molding Company, Tackle Management; and Pallatrax, Terminal Tackle. The three first-time exhibitors who won a “Best of Show” honor are CTI Industries, Mystic Tackleworks and Pallatrax.
Thank You ICAST 2008 Sponsors!
The American Sportfishing Association thanks the following companies for their generous support of ICAST 2008: Gold Sponsors: Fishing Tackle Retailer, New Product Showcase; Crocodile Bay Resort, Buyer Raffle Grand Prize; Plano Molding Company, Chairman’s Industry Awards Reception; Townsend and Townsend and Crew, Industry Breakfast; and VERSUS, Cyber Lounge. Silver Sponsors: In-Fisherman, Convention Lanyards; FLW Outdoors, Convention Bags; Fishing and Hunting News, Magazine Distribution;and Gemini Sport Marketing, Press Room and staff shirts. Bronze Sponsors: Duncan McIntosh Company/FishRap, Saltwater Sportsman, Alphatan International Inc, Pelagic, Inc., Classic Fishing Products, Inc., Native Sun Sports-Get Reel…Get Fish!, The Habana Co., Glacier Glove, First Light Net and Fishworks, Inc., Sperry Top-Sider and Center for Coastal Conservation.
Exhibiting at ICAST 2009
With ICAST 2008 behind us, it is time to reserve your space at ICAST 2009, July 15–17 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Once a deposit is received, booths will be assigned to exhibitors in early October. Contracts will not be processed until a deposit is received. The ICAST 2009 contract and floor plan are available on the ICAST Web site. For more information, contact Kenneth Andres, x231.
ASA/Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Exposition Update
Planning for the 2009 show season is in full swing, and floor space is selling out quickly. For more information and to participate in the ASA/Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Exposition shows held in Worcester, Mass., Suffern, New York and Somerset, New Jersey, please visit www.sportshows.com or contact Show Director Jonathan Sauers, 603-431-4315.
Opportunity to Participate in Federal Excise Tax Conservation Programs
Ever wondered about how your excise tax monies are being used for fisheries conservation? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) are inviting ASA members to participate in reviews of programs and projects completed by state fisheries agencies using these funds. Reviews may include behind the scenes tours of hatcheries, research projects and fisheries monitoring programs. If you are interested in this effort and would like to either participate in these reviews or would simply like to receive more information on any state’s Sport Fish Restoration program projects, contact Brian_Bohnsack@fws.gov, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, (202) 624-5363.
June/July 2008 Issue of American Sportfishing Available on Web
The June/July issue of American Sportfishing, ASA’s newsletter, is available in PDF format on ASA’s Web site along with issues dating back to 2002.
EFTTA Names CEO
Jean-Claude Bel has been named the first ever full-time CEO of the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA), effective October 2008. Bel brings more than 30 years experience to the position and has worked in the European tackle trade for companies such as Rapala, Mepps, O. Mustad & Sons, Mitchell SA/Garcia Europe SA, and Freetime Group France.
AFFTA Hires New President
The American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) has hired Gary Berlin, the former head of the International Hunter Education Association, to serve as its president. Berlin has also served as an official with the Colorado Division of Wildlife. In addition to hiring Berlin, AFFTA announced it will move its headquarters to Colorado.
Center for Coastal Conservation Officially Launched
The Center for Coastal Conservation, a non-partisan national organization dedicated to enacting marine conservation laws through education and political action, was officially launched at ICAST 2008. Jeff Angers, formerly the executive director and CEO of the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana, is the Center’s first president. For more information, contact CCC at (225) 382-3755
Welcome New Members!
ASA welcomes these new members or members who reinstated their membership in July: Old Salty Tackle Company, Newberg, OR; Outdoor Sites Network, Grapevine, TX; Team Marine USA, Tampa, FL; Western Frontier Sales Inc. Jackson, CA; and Fisheroo, Dallas, TX.
FishAmerica Foundation Updates
To help FishAmerica keep our nation’s fish and waters healthy, visit FishAmerica online at www.fishamerica.org or contact Executive Director Johanna Laderman, x245, or Grants Manager Erica George, x247.
FishAmerica and NOAA Celebrate 10th Anniversary in Washington State
The FishAmerica Foundation and NOAA Restoration Center will proudly celebrate their 10th anniversary of restoring habitat for our nation’s marine and anadromous sportfish. On Thursday, August 14, 2008, FishAmerica and NOAA invite interested parties to tour the Salmon/Snow Estuary Restoration site in Port Townsend, Washington. In the majestic Discovery Bay with the Olympic foothills to the south, organizations and volunteers are bringing life back to these marshes, providing habitat for salmon and restoring natural resources for the bay’s communities. To join us, please contact Johanna Laderman, x245.
FishAmerica Receives Third Donation from Johnson Outdoors
FishAmerica Foundation is the 2008 recipient of a $5,000 conservation grant from Johnson Outdoors in honor of the Samuel C. Johnson Fishing Journalist of the Year award, presented to Homer Circle. Circle, 93, was selected based on his half-century of contributions to the fishing industry through journalism, conservation and philanthropic leadership. FishAmerica will use the donation for the FishAmerica Gulf Fund to help restore Gulf Coast sportfisheries and fishing access facilities. The Gulf Fund provides grants to community-based sportfishing and conservation organizations to help restore sportfish populations, their habitats and fishing facilities.
FishAmerica’s Cause-related Partners Highlighted at ICAST 2008
Seven companies that support FishAmerica through their cause-related marketing were highlighted in the Foundations’ Showcase at ICAST 2008. This annual showcase is a special tribute to those companies who, through cause-related marketing, donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of one or more products to one or both of ASA’s foundations. Companies that support FishAmerica include: American Premier Corporation; Dutch Creek Marketing; InterMedia Outdoors; Pro Line Manufacturing; Skyhorse Publishing; Stonehedge Winery; and Zebco Brands. To find out how you can designate a portion of the proceeds from your products to FishAmerica, please contact Johanna Laderman, x245.
Future Fisherman Foundation Updates
For more information on Future Fisherman activities, contact Executive Director Anne Danielski, x254, or Manager of Education Teresa Rodriguez, x224.
Educators Participate in National Fishing and Boating Training
Teachers from around the country convened in Traverse City, Mich., July 6-10, at the Northwestern Michigan College campus for the 6th annual Physh Ed National Education Grants training workshop. Seventy-six educators representing 32 states received $2,500 in grant funding from the Future Fisherman Foundation through a partnership with the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation to design and deliver fishing and boating instruction as a part of their regular school curriculum. The training featured skill development as well as personalized instruction on how to design and evaluate effective lessons that reinforce conservation and develop an interest in angling among America’s youth.
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
Each summer, thousands of members of the sportfishing industry come together for ICAST and we are pleased to say that ICAST 2008, held July 16-18 in Las Vegas, was once again a success. ICAST had 7,000 attendees and 433 exhibitors on the show floor, occupying 1,350 booths, making ICAST 2008 the seventh straight sold out show. I would also like to thank MAATS who co-located with ICAST this year and lent to the success of the overall Show. Co-locating allowed more than 10,000 attendees to walk both show floors. Next year, ICAST and MAATS will be held in Orlando, Fla., July 15-17, in the heart of the strong southeastern market. We look forward to having you at another successful show.
All the members of the industry—ASA’s members, our Board of Directors, buyers, exhibitors, show sponsors, our partners and the media — are owed a “thanks” for their support and participation of and in ICAST. I would also like to thank ASA staff for their effort in putting on a show like ICAST. In particular, thanks goes to the members of the Show Committee for the invaluable assistance they provided in helping make this show a success. The Show Committee provides the important member perspective that guides our efforts toward a productive show for the industry.
The Industry Breakfast focused on the state of the industry, access and participation. In front of more than 500 people, Randy Lemcke, ASA Board of Directors Chairman and Vice President of Plano Molding Company, spoke about how during these slower economic times, that staying home and hoping business comes to companies is not an effective business strategy. Judging by the attendance numbers at ICAST 2008, it is clear that Chairman Lemcke was not the only one who felt this way.
During the Industry Breakfast, ASA unveiled the Anglers’ Legacy Innovations Awards. These awards were the country’s first top-10 list of the products that changed the way people recreationally fish as determined by a survey of the nation’s most avid anglers. Fishing has touched the lives of so many people over the last 75 years thanks to these revolutionary products.
Following the revolutionary products of the past, ASA congratulates the winners of this year’s New Product Showcase for their forward looking products. Each year, the competition for top honors in the New Product Showcase gets more intense and the products get more innovative. This year, we had three first time exhibitors take home awards. Congratulations again to all the winners.
While the industry has changed over the last 75 years, a lot of the issues have remained the same. From the fisheries resource to increasing participation, many issues continue to be prevalent today. As always ASA will continue to be the voice of the industry and to advocate on behalf of our members by keeping watch on existing and proposed laws and policies that impact the way you do business. This is what successful trade associations do best and an important part of getting that job done is having good member involvement. That was exemplified when Darrell Lowrance, ASA Board of Directors and Government Affairs Committee Member, spoke about the access issues facing anglers today during the Industry Breakfast. Darrell outlined the progress of ASA staff and partners in California and other states where marine protected areas threaten closures to recreational fishing areas. He emphasized how important it is for ASA’s government affairs staff to have the financial resources to continue the fight for access rights across the country. He urged ASA members to step up with financial and in-kind assistance.
Frank Peterson, RBFF president and CEO, outlined the efforts RBFF is making to increase participation in our sport. He explained that thousands of avid anglers have taken the pledge to introduce people to recreational fishing through the Angler’s Legacy program and that being proactive in increasing participation is essential for growth in our sport. Frank also outlined how the Take Me Fishing Campaign is increasing awareness and growing the number of anglers.
Once again, I thank everyone for their participation in the association and for their support at ICAST 2008. On behalf of the ASA staff and board, we look forward to seeing many of you at the Sportfishing Summit, October 29-31 in Galveston, Texas. The Summit is the only venue where leaders in the sportfishing community – from manufacturers to state and federal government to media – meet to discuss a wide range of issues and events that affect the future of the industry. See you in October.
