November 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.
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.
ICAST 2007—50 Years of Innovation
2007 New Product Showcase
FishAmerica Founding Member Wins Service Award
ASA Welcomes Jonathan Sauers to Eastern Sportshows
Pfeiffer Named President of Shimano American Corporation
NOAA’s Sustainable Fisheries Leadership
Awards
2007 Sportfishing Summit—Mark Your
Calendars for Sanibel, Florida
Member Services Updates
FishAmerica Foundation Updates
Future Fisherman Foundation Updates
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
ICAST 2007—50 Years of Innovation
In 2007, ICAST is celebrating 50 years of uniting the world’s
largest showcase of innovation in sportfishing gear and accessories under
one roof, from July 11–13, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
All members are invited to join in this momentous year for ICAST by exhibiting
in 2007. As of November 28, 2006, 230 exhibitors have reserved 1,070
booths for ICAST 2007. With nearly 80 percent of the show floor sold,
ICAST 2007 is on track to be the sixth consecutive sell-out year. Remaining
booth space is going quickly and companies who want to exhibit at the
world’s largest sportfishing industry expo should submit
an exhibit
space contract as soon as possible to ensure their business is front and
center for nearly 2,000 buyers and more than 500 members of the media nationwide.
For more information or to reserve your exhibit space, contact Kelly
Camirand, x231.
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2007 New Product Showcase
The flagship feature of ICAST, the New Product Showcase is truly a unique
experience which provides the best opportunity for exhibitors to show off their
latest innovations in fishing gear and accessories for the next year to buyers
and media. In celebration of the 50th anniversary, the New Product Showcase
promises to showcase even more innovative gear and accessories and be more
competitive than ever. In
2006, more than 180 companies entered over 500 new products,
vying for the coveted “Best of Show” category honors as well as the
overall “Best of Show” award. Exhibitors should plan ahead to make
sure their concepts make it from the drawing board to the show floor, where more
than 500 members of the media and over 2,000
buyers will be judging their products. For more information, contact Kelly Camirand, x231.
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FishAmerica Founding Member Wins Service Award
Jim Hubbard, Vice President and Chief of Staff of Mercury
Marine, and a founder of the FishAmerica Foundation, is the 2006 recipient
of the Association of Great Lakes
Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) Golden Glow Award for Individual of the Year. The
award is presented to an individual(s) for his or her service to sportsmen, sportswomen
and conservation. Hubbard was presented with the award during AGLOW's annual
conference. AGLOW also recognized Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Pheasants
Forever and Cabela's for their service to sportsmen, sportswomen and conservation.
Hubbard helped create the foundation in 1983.
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ASA Welcomes Jonathan Sauers to Eastern Sportshows
ASA welcomes Jonathan Sauers to the ASA/Eastern Fishing & Outdoors
Exposition team as the new Sales Manager. As Sales Manager for ASA’s
three east coast consumer shows, Sauers will work closely with exhibitors
and sponsors. He will also work directly with Paul Fuller, Show producer,
in all aspects of the management of the shows. Most recently, Sauers
worked in Corporate Sales and Special Events for New Hampshire Public
Television (NHPTV). Prior to NHPTV, he worked in facility management
for Global Spectrum and their related company, Front Row Marketing
Services. He is a graduate of Ithaca College in New York. Jonathan’s contact
information is 603.431.4315 or jonathan@sportshows.com.
For more information on ASA/Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Exposition’s
consumer shows, visit www.sportshows.com.
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Pfeiffer Named President of Shimano American Corporation
Dave Pfeiffer will assume the role of president for Shimano
American Corporation in December. Pfeiffer succeeds Kozo Shimano, who will
be Vice President for Corporate Advocacy and Public Relations. As president,
Pfeiffer will oversee all functions of Shimano’s fishing tackle business,
as well as its bicycle component business in the U.S. and Canada. Pfeiffer joined
Shimano American Corporation in 1988 and was named Executive Vice President in
2000. Prior to that, he was Vice President for the fishing tackle division since
1997. Pfeiffer recently completed a two-year term as ASA’s Chairman of
the Board. Congratulations, Dave!
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NOAA’s Sustainable Fisheries Leadership Awards
Nominations are being accepted for NOAA’s
2007 Annual Sustainable Fisheries Leadership Awards. The Sustainable Fisheries
Leadership Awards recognize outstanding performance, achievements and leadership
by industries, organizations and individuals whose contributions to science and
management promote best stewardship practices for the sustained use of the Nation’s
living marine resources. The award categories include Special Recognition; Stewardship
and Sustainability; Conservation Partnership; Science, Research and Technology;
Coastal Habitat Restoration; and Public Education, Community Service and Media.
For more information, contact Michele
Shea, Fish
for the Future Foundation, 703.379.6101.
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2007 Sportfishing Summit—Mark Your Calendars for Sanibel, Florida
ASA invites its members and partners to the 2007 Sportfishing Summit
scheduled for October 10–12, at Sanibel
Harbour Resort & Spa in sunny Florida. ASA’s staff and Board of
Directors met immediately after the 2006 Summit to jump-start the planning process
for 2007. ASA plans to have a program in place and information distributed before
ICAST 2007. For more information, contact Mary
Jane Williamson, x227.
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Membership Updates
For more information, contact Membership assistant Ann
Sweeney, x241.
Working for You
The ASA Discount Shipping Program managed by PartnerShip is a FREE member
benefit with no minimum shipping requirements. PartnerShip negotiates
discounted shipping rates to benefit ASA members’ business operations.
ASA members have saved over $140,000 in the last 12 months—an average
of $1,600 per location. Please forward this information on to your
shipping department. For more information contact Harry
Centa, PartnerShip Program Manager, 800.599.2902, x2242. Visit PartnerShip
on the Web for more information.
On the Road
Recruiting dealers as ASA members is a key focus for the Membership
team. During October and November, Membership Director Brian Blank
worked with Fred Hall & Associates to arrange meetings with current
and potential ASA members in southern California including Hi’s
Tackle Box and United Anglers of Southern California which were held
in conjunction with the 2006 Sportfishing Summit. Membership also
visited with ASA members and potential members along the North Carolina
coast. For several years, ASA staff has been working with The Red
Drum Tackle Shop and other ASA members, local conservation groups
and business leaders to bring a successful resolution regarding access
to Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Additionally, Membership is also
meeting with ASA members in Florida to establish relationships with
potential members in that state. If you know of someone who should
be a member, contact Brian
Blank, x234.
Fiscal Year 2007 Membership Dues Invoices
ASA mailed its annual membership dues renewal invoices at the end of
October. The due date was November 15 for full or a first installment
payment. If you have not received your company renewal or you have
questions about dues or member status, contact Ann Sweeney x241.
ASA Welcomes New Members!
ASA welcomes these new members or members who have reinstated their
membership in November: FoxFury Personal Lighting Solutions, Vista,
CA; JBS Fishing Line, LLC, Pell City, AL; and the Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife, Salem, OR.
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FishAmerica Foundation Updates
To help FishAmerica keep our nation’s fish and waters healthy, contact
Director Johanna
Laderman, x245. Donate to FishAmerica
online!
Grants Available for Sportfish Habitat Restoration
The FishAmerica Foundation expects to award up to $800,000 in grant
monies for marine and anadromous sportfish habitat restoration projects
across the coastal United States and the Great Lakes basin. These grants
will be awarded to community-based, on-the-ground projects to restore
marine, estuarine and riparian habitats, including salt marshes, seagrass
beds, mangrove forests and freshwater habitats important to anadromous
fish species.
Grant proposals will be accepted through February 5, 2007.
Grants of up to $50,000 each will be awarded in June of 2007. Eligible
applicants include community-based nonprofit organizations, such as
local sporting clubs and conservation associations, as well as state
and local agencies. Applicants are encouraged to partner with NOAA
staff in order to strengthen the development and implementation of
sound restoration projects. The announcement and full grant package
are available at www.fishamerica.org.
FishAmerica Funds Restoration of Chesapeake Bay Fish Habitat
FishAmerica, through its partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust
(the Trust), has awarded more than $30,000 to help restore fish habitat
and water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Since 2001, FishAmerica
and the Trust have awarded $175,000 to Maryland-based conservation
groups to restore and enhance water quality and the fisheries resources
in Chesapeake Bay and its Maryland tributaries.
ASA Members Contribute to FishAmerica
The FishAmerica Foundation would like to thank the following ASA members
for their recent donations to the FishAmerica Foundation: FLW
Outdoors, Pro Line Manufacturing and Yakima
Bait Company. As of October 1, these members have donated a total
of nearly $30,000 to FishAmerica through direct donations, FishAmerica
Gulf Fund donations, licensed-product sales, tournament partnerships
and endowment donations. To make a donation, visit FishAmerica’s
eStore.
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Future Fisherman Foundation Update
For more information on Future Fisherman activities, contact
Executive Director Anne
Danielski, x254.
Physh Ed Accepting Applications
The Future Fisherman Foundation is accepting applications for the Physh
Ed National Fishing and Boating Grant Initiative. Kindergarten
through twelfth grade physical education teachers in accredited public,
private or charter schools are encouraged to apply for up to $5,000
in grants to teach fishing and boating as part of their physical education
curriculum. Applications are due on Friday, March 2, 2007 for
the 2007/2009 school year. Physh Ed provides grants to teachers to
implement fishing and boating units in their classrooms. The Future
Fisherman Foundation and ASA ask that members help spread the word
to their local schools about this valuable program. The foundation
is also working with a variety of organizations to distribute information
about the grant program.
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Message
from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
The efforts to establish no-fishing zones could well be one of
the most significant issues that our industry has had to address.
Now is the time when the sportfishing community must stand together
and use our collective voice to advocate for our heritage. Now
is not the time to disagree. The process for the next round of
designating no-fishing zones in California will gear up quickly
in 2007 and we must be prepared to stand up for what we believe
to be true: that fisheries management, based on sound scientific
data, is the appropriate method for managing our nation’s
fisheries. Closing off large parts of our oceans to recreational fishing is not
the answer.
Our opponents have proved that they are working together to accomplish
their goals and we must do the same thing. They are well-funded
organizations who believe that the way to address problems such
as overharvest, excessive bycatch, and habitat destruction is to
ban all public access to wide areas of our coastal waters. However,
banning access in lieu of proven scientific management techniques
that restrict harvest but allow recreational fishing is not a prudent course
of action.
To recap the issue, in 1999, California passed the Marine Life Protection
Act. This legislation provided for the designation of a network of
Marine Protected Areas, including no-fishing areas called Marine Reserves.
The state began implementation shortly after, but the effort was stopped
due to the lack of state financial resources.
In 2004, implementation
resumed with funding from environmental groups. The funding allowed
them to drive the process toward designating closures under the MLPA.
The first designation, in August 2006, was along California’s
central coast resulting in a 108 square mile total closure to all sportfishing.
This action not only closed 108 square miles to open water sportfishing
but also prohibits anglers from fishing along 72 miles of California
coastline. To reach this result, environmental groups spent millions
of dollars on the designation process.
Although the designations only
closed about eight percent of the area to sportfishing, this eight
percent amounts to about 40 to 60 percent of the best sportfishing
areas off California’s central coast.
Although millions may have
been spent in California on the designation process, that is nothing
compared to the economic impact that anglers have on that state’s
economy. Just by doing what they enjoy, California’s anglers contribute
approximately $70 million annually to fisheries management. On a national scale,
anglers generate $116 billion dollars in economic benefits for the nation each
year. This country cannot afford to loose the support of its anglers.
The sportfishing
community has repeatedly taken a leadership role in influencing national
conservation and fisheries management policy. Now, more than ever,
we must work as a team to do our best to highlight our decades of contributions
to conservation. Sportfishing is more than just a traditional pastime;
it is a powerful economic force, an unparalleled contributor to conservation
and a vital part of the American culture.
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