April 2009 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 about our Government Affairs activities called Policy Watch. These documents can be found in the Government Affairs section of ASA’s Web site.
ASA Board of Directors Elections
Register Today for ICAST 2009
Thank You ICAST 2009 Sponsors
Don’t Miss Out on the ICAST Buyers’ Guide Listing
Online Buyers’ Guide Demonstration
Exhibitor Service Manual Available
Reserve Exhibit Space Today
Saving you Money at ICAST 2009
ICAST Sponsorships Available
New in 2009 – Link Your ICAST Press Release on ICASTfishing.org
ICAST and MAATS
Jim Range National Casting Call and Family and Youth Day
2009 Sportfishing Summit – Mark Your Calendars
Government Affairs Committee Meets
California Fish and Game Commission to Make Decision on Fishing Access
EFFTEX 2009
Welcome New Members
Renew Your 2009 Membership Dues
Receive ASA’s Member Benefit Publications
Take an Active Role in New Member Recruitment
FishAmerica Foundation Updates
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
ASA Board of Directors Elections
Ballots for ASA’s Board of Directors elections were mailed on Friday, May 1, 2009, to members current with their 2009 membership dues as of April 16. Members will elect six representatives to ASA's Board of Directors, with terms beginning in October 2009. Elections are open for three regional and three at-large seats. Regional seats cover the South Central, Southeast and West regions. Ballots are due on or before June 1, 2009. According to ASA’s bylaws, only members with regular membership status may vote. Associate members are not eligible to do so. For more information about the ballots, contact Board Liaison Joyce Anderson-Logan , x233. Contact Membership Director Jill Calabria , x234, with questions about ASA membership status.
Register Today for ICAST 2009
ICAST exhibitor and attendee registration is now open for the world’s largest sportfishing trade show, July 15-17, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. To register for badges and housing, please visit the ICAST Web site – www.ICASTfishing.org . The pre-registration deadline is June 12. In addition, you can now make your hotel reservations and register for ICAST at the same time. ASA has arranged special ICAST rates with over a dozen hotels in close proximity to the Orange County Convention Center. Make your one-stop reservations at www.ICASTfishing.org under Registration.
Thank You ICAST 2009 Sponsors
ASA would like to thank its members who have already signed on as ICAST sponsors: Gold - ESPN Outdoor/BASS , Crocodile Bay , the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation , VERSUS and ZEBCO Brands ; Silver – Fetha Styx , Gemini Sport Marketing , In-Fisherman , Northwest Sportsman Magazine and Outdoor Identities ; and Bronze - Classic Fishing Products, Inc. , Gill North America and Fish Gillz . Thank you for your support!
Don’t Miss Out on the ICAST Buyers’ Guide Listing
The deadline for all membership dues payments, including third period installments, is May 15. It is crucial that all members submit their dues payments by May 15. To be listed in the ICAST 2008 Buyers’ Guide, both exhibiting and non-exhibiting ASA members must have their 2009 membership dues paid in full by May 15. The Buyers’ Guide is the official show directory and the source to which the industry looks to for contact information year round. New in 2009 is the online ICAST Buyers’ Guide, which will give members another avenue to attract buyers. This online guide will debut in May. To pay your membership dues, contact Jill Calabria , x234.
Online Buyers’ Guide Demonstration
For a demonstration of the new online Buyers’ Guide, please make plans to participate in the upcoming exhibitor conference call on Thursday, May 14, at 2:00 p.m. EST. To participate in the call, please e-mail or call ICAST Associate Ken Andres , x231.
Exhibitor Service Manual Available
The Exhibitor Service Manual is the ultimate guide to exhibiting at ICAST. It contains all the details needed to ensure that you have a successful experience at the show. Shipping and set up information are included, as well as forms for ordering furnishings, carpet, electrical services and other necessities. Please note that the Exhibitor Service Manual is only available online in the “2009 Exhibitors Only ” section of ICASTfishing.org and is not available in print. In order to place your product and service order through ICAST partners listed in the Exhibitor Service Manual, you must be a confirmed exhibitor in good standing. That means that your ICAST booth fees and ASA membership dues must be paid. To pay your ASA membership dues, please contact Jill Calabria at jcalabria@asafishing.org , x234.
Reserve Exhibit Space Today
Exhibit space is still available for ICAST; however, prime spaces are going quickly. ICAST 2009 will be located in the southeastern sportfishing market, where exhibitors can gain product exposure to buyers from all levels of our industry as well as hundreds of media and manufacturers’ representatives. By becoming an ICAST exhibitor your company will gain access to the top people in the sportfishing industry. For more information or to reserve exhibit space at ICAST 2009, contact Kenneth Andres , x231.
Saving you Money at ICAST 2009
ASA has arranged special discounts for those attending ICAST 2009, including a special five percent discount off the lowest available fare from any city serviced by JetBlue Airlines with connections to Orlando, Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. To book your airfare, go to www.jetblue.com/promo and use promotion code ICAST2009. Complimentary shuttle bus service will be provided between the Orange County Convention Center and the official ICAST hotels . Service begins on Wednesday, July 15, at 7:00 a.m. and ends Friday, July 17, at 4:00 p.m. Details will be posted at the Convention Center, hotel lobbies and in the ICAST 2009 Buyers’ Guide. When you register for ICAST you can also book housing. The official ICAST hotels offer a wide range of prices starting at $82.00 per night.
ICAST Sponsorships Available
Sponsorship opportunities are still available for ICAST 2009. An ICAST sponsorship provides you with an effective way to highlight your company’s name in front of the global sportfishing community. By becoming an ICAST sponsor, your company will benefit from stand-alone recognition for your company and/or products and also help increase sales by leveraging your exhibit space. Sign up for a sponsorship today and have your companies name in front of 7,000 industry leaders. For more information on sponsorships, please contact Kenneth Andres , x231.
New in 2009 – Link Your ICAST Press Release on ICASTfishing.org
ASA has a new exhibitor promotional opportunity. We will post links to ICAST exhibitor press releases helping you to promote your presence at the show. This online Web page is a resource for both media and show attendees. Please send a link to your press release for posting on www.ICASTfishing.org , to Kenneth Andres , x231, and ASA Communications Associate, Ryan Colaianni , x222. Content is subject to ASA verification and approval.
ICAST and MAATS
ICAST will once again co-locate with the Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show (MAATS), produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). Your ICAST badge allows you access to both the ICAST and MAATS trade show floors.
Jim Range National Casting Call and Family and Youth Day
ASA was an active participant in this year’s Jim Range National Casting Call , held April 26 and 27 on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. This year’s Casting Call honored the memory of Jim Range, consummate angler and outdoorsman, who inspired the first Casting Call. Sponsored by the American Fly Fishing Trade Association, ASA along with other representatives from various fishery organizations volunteered during Sunday’s Family and Youth Casting Call and the Monday Casting Call. On Sunday local children and their families learned fishing basics and fisheries conservation.
2009 Sportfishing Summit – Mark Your Calendars
ASA invites its members and partners to the 2009 Sportfishing Summit scheduled for October 27–29, at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, Calif. To gain information on the most relevant issues facing the sportfishing industry, mark your calendar today for the Sportfishing Summit, ASA’s annual membership meeting and premier networking event. If you are interested in being a sponsor for this year’s Summit, please contact Jill Calabria , 234.
Government Affairs Committee Meets
ASA’s Government Affairs Committee met April 7 – 8, in Alexandria, Va. Committee members received updates and status reports on a wide-range of topics including federal and state marine protected areas; precedent-setting state and local access issues and restrictions on lead fishing equipment; the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund reauthorization; invasive species; and the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Protection Act. The committee also held a special session along with other recreational fishing and boating organizations to identify and discuss the challenges the sportfishing community will face over the next five years. The committee voted to: support a salmon hatchery reform study in California; develop an ASA/Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies working group to develop ways to increase industry input into how Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund monies are used by state agencies; uphold ASA’s position regarding making Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund monies ineligible for fishing closures; and provide ASA support for a Vermont bill to repeal the ban of lead sinkers in rivers and streams. For more information, contact Policy Fellow Mike Leonard , x230.
California Fish and Game Commission to Make Decision on North Central Coast Recreational Fishing Access
During its May 13-14 meeting, the California Fish and Game Commission will begin taking public comment on the proposals that will establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in the North Central Coast under the state's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). The Commission plans to vote on which proposal it will adopt during its August 2009 meeting. Right now, the California Fish and Game Commission is poised to adopt a proposal that closes 13 percent of the North Coast Study region to recreational fishing. For more detailed information on the MLPA and to support alternate Proposal 2XA, visit the California page of KeepAmericaFishing.org .
EFFTEX 2009
The European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) is hosting its 2009 trade show, the European Fishing Tackle Trade Exhibition (EFTTEX), June 12–14, in Budapest, Hungary. For more information about EFTTEX 2009 or EFTTA, visit www.eftta.com .
Welcome New Members!
ASA welcomes these new members or members who reinstated their membership in April: Advanced Graphics, Inc., Cocoa, FL; Better Bait Systems, LLC, Cudjoe Key, FL; Blue Water Inc., Massapequa, NY; Castmaster Australia Pty Ltd, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Composite Reel Company, Denver, CO; David DunLeavy Deco's, Cape May, NJ; Janal Distribution, Inc./Powrtran, St. Cloud, MN; Locke MFG, Vancouver, WA; Lucky 2 Creations LLC, Boise, ID; Native Eyewear, Daytona Beach, FL; Outdoor Identities, LLC, Greenville, WI; Outdoor Specialty Innovations, Inc. (OSI), Las Vegas, NV; PK Products, Inc., Littleton, CO; RMR Industries, Union Point, GA; Rod Oar Paddle Corp., Rye, NY; Viking Kayak US LLC, Windermere, FL; Weihai Honesea Trading Co.,Ltd., Weihai Shandong, China; Winn Grips, Huntington Beach, CA and Yaska Fishing Tackle Co.,Ltd., Baishan Lujiang, Anhui, China.
Renew Your 2009 Membership Dues
If you have already renewed your 2009 ASA dues, we thank you for your continued commitment to ASA. If you have yet to renew and wish to do so using a credit card or have questions about membership, please call Membership Director Jill Calabria, x234.
Receive ASA’s Member Benefit Publications
In an effort to ensure you and your staff are receiving ASA’s member benefits such as Policy Watch, Member Update and American Sportfishing, ASA’s electronic e-newsletter, please send your staff roster to Jill Calabria.
Take an Active Role in New Member Recruitment
New ASA recruitment efforts have made it easier for current members to refer new members for ASA membership. If you would like to help ASA recruit new members, please: Include www.asafishing.org/tellmemore in your e-mail signature line, your e-mails to business colleagues or include the link on your Web site; distribute ASA’s membership brochure at tradeshows and during presentations or include them in your company mailings; and run ASA’s member recruitment advertising in your publication(s), Web site or electronic communications. Please contact Jill Calabria for more information or to obtain copies of the member brochure or ad.
FishAmerica Foundation Update
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 Staff Visits Fish Passage Project in Maryland
Foundation staff, along with staff from the Chesapeake Bay Trust the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, visited the Gunpowder Falls restoration project which is located 30 miles north of Baltimore, Md. The project, funded through FishAmerica’s partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust, will restore passage to more than 46 square miles of fisheries habitat along Gunpowder Falls. Gunpowder Falls is a tributary of the Gunpowder River in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and is home to native brown trout and stocked rainbow trout. Field and Stream magazine listed the Gunpowder Falls as one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s best wild trout tailwaters. The $30,500 grant was leveraged with an additional $104,800 in funds – a more than three to one match on FishAmerica grant funds.
FishAmerica Invests Nearly $595,000 in Fisheries Projects across the US
The FishAmerica Foundation recently awarded nearly $595,000 to 19 projects that will benefit sportfish populations and their habitats. The local grant recipients and their partners have leveraged more than $5 million in matching funds through donations, in-kind services and nearly 8,000 hours of volunteer labor. These projects will improve fish passage, restore habitat and improve water quality in 15 states along the coast though our partnership with the NOAA Restoration Center , in the Northeast United States through our partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners and Coastal Programs, in Maryland through our partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust , and in the western states through our partnership with Trout Unlimited’s Embrace-A-Stream program.
FishAmerica Thanks ASA Members
FishAmerica thanks the following ASA members who have invested more than $60,000 in FishAmerica’s efforts since October 1, 2008, through donations, licensed-product sales, tournament partnerships and endowment donations: BLS Consultants; Carrera-Werner Sales Company; Citti Sales; Corporate Products, LLC (CORPRO); Daiwa Corporation; Do-It Corporation/Component Systems Paint; Evolution Products, Inc.; Expositions, Inc.; Fiber Consulting Services; FishGillz Sunglass Company; FLW Outdoors; Frank & Fran's Fisherman's Friend, Inc.; Jeff Robles & Associates; Jones & Company; Lamiglas, Inc.; Magic Products, Inc.; McClain Sales Company; Pro Line Manufacturing; Sea Striker International; Surf or Sound Realty; Yakima Bait Company; and ZEBCO Brands.
FishAmerica Approved for 2010 Combined Federal Campaign
FishAmerica has been approved for its third year as a participant in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the federal employee counterpart to the annual United Way campaign. In its first year, the foundation received more than $21,000. In 2008/2009, the foundation has already received notification of pledges nearing $15,000. FishAmerica’s CFC Code is 12295.
FishAmerica Proposals Habitat Restoration due June 22
The FishAmerica Foundation, through its partnership with the NOAA Restoration Center , is accepting grant proposals up through June 22, 2009, for marine and anadromous sportfish habitat restoration projects in the coastal United States, the Great Lakes region and the U.S. Caribbean territories. Grants of up to $50,000 each will be awarded in October 2009. These grants are for community-based, on-the-ground projects to restore marine, estuarine and riparian habitats, including salt marshes, mangrove forests and freshwater habitats important to anadromous fish species such as salmon and striped bass that spawn in freshwater and migrate to the sea. Projects in the Great Lakes must restore habitat for diadromous sportfish such as lake sturgeon, walleye and brook trout in the Great Lakes and applicable tributaries. Non-profit organizations including local sporting clubs and conservation associations are encouraged to apply for funding. Interested organizations can find the application packet at www.fishamerica.org .
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
From July 15 - 17, the sportfishing industry will converge on the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., for the world’s largest sportfishing trade show. For the first time in over ten years, ICAST is coming to the East coast. While it’s safe to say that most businesses have been affected by the global economic recession; ICAST is the most important sportfishing industry event for the global sportfishing industry and 2009 will be no different.
“Where sportfishing means business” is the ICAST 2009 theme and, given the state of the world’s economy, those words mean more now than ever before. For over 50 years, ICAST has been the sportfishing industry’s business hub, serving as the catalyst to meet the needs of anglers worldwide. This means delivering a quality event that serves to showcase the sportfishing industry.
When you analyze a tradeshow, it’s easy to just look at the numbers as a barometer of success – number of attendees, number of booths sold, growth in square footage, number of new products on display - but the numbers don’t capture the real essence of a successful show. Despite our reliance on e-mail and the Internet to accomplish the day-to-day tasks, business still revolves around face-to-face meetings. In fact, exhibitors and buyers alike tell us that their three most important reasons for attending ICAST are to discover new products, take advantage of show specials and discounts and develop personal relationships with their suppliers and we aim to meet their needs.
This year will be no different. In fact, we are very excited about the way the show is coming together. The Orlando location is a strong enticement to new exhibitors and dealers in the southeast and from Europe and South America. Overall, nearly $20 billion in fishing retail sales are realized annually in the Southeastern market. In fact, more than half of the United States sportfishing dollars are spent east of the Mississippi River. And anglers are always looking for new and innovative gear to help them land the next big catch.
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, our Board of Directors voted to amend some of the Showcase guidelines to help ensure an even and fair playing field for everyone involved in the Showcase. There is no better venue for seeing the latest innovations in gear and accessories than at the New Product Showcase.
I want to thank ASA’s Board of Directors, the Show Committee, our exhibitors, our partners and all ASA members for their continued support of our efforts. Putting on a show like ICAST requires team work and the entire ASA team—members and staff alike—pull together to create our industry’s trade show to produce a trade show that has real value to the global sportfishing industry.
Now is the time for the sportfishing industry to come together. ICAST is, and always has been, a powerful driver of commerce and progress. Here’s to a great show and I’ll see you in Orlando!
