August 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.
Condolences to the Olshansky and Katlin Families
Register Now for the 2009 Sportfishing Summit
NOAA Administrator to Address Summit Attendees
ASA Committee and Board of Directors Meetings
Norville Prosser and Future of Fishing Award Nominations
2009 Sportfishing Summit Sponsorship Opportunities
Thank You Summit Sponsors
Mark Your Calendar for ICAST 2010 and 2011
Exhibiting at ICAST 2010
Visit the New ICAST Online Buyers’ Guide
ASA’s Web Site is Up and Running
July/August Issue of American Sportfishing is Now Available
ASA Has No Affiliation with Guangzhou International Fishing Fair
Visit the Redesigned KeepAmericaFishing.org
ASA Member Benefits
Welcome New Members
Book Your Space for the ASA Eastern Shows Today!
FishAmerica Foundation Updates
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
Condolences to the Olshansky and Katlin Families
On behalf of the Board of Directors, ASA members and the staff, we extend our sincere condolences to the Olshansky and Katlin families on the passing of Melvin Olshansky, Chairman of Maurice Sporting Goods, who passed away on Saturday August 29, 2009. Maurice Sporting Goods, Inc. was established in 1923 by Melvin's father, Maurice Olshansky. Memorial contributions can be made to Maurice Cares, 1910 Techny Road, Northbrook, IL 60062. If you have any questions, please contact Pat Halachoulis, executive assistant to Jory Katlin, Maurice Sporting Goods, at 847.715.1246.
Register Now for the 2009 Sportfishing Summit
The American Sportfishing Association’s 2009 Sportfishing Summit , the sportfishing industry’s premier networking and business management event, is scheduled for October 27 – 29, at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, Calif. The Summit registration packets were mailed the week of August 24 to ASA members, however, all Summit materials are available on ASA’s Web site including a detailed agenda , registration form , housing form and information on sponsorship opportunities and recreation opportunities . The deadline for pre-registration and the discounted group housing rate is October 7. For more information, contact Mary Jane Williamson , x227, or Ryan Colaianni , x222.
NOAA Administrator to Address Summit Attendees
Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator, will address the Summit attendees during lunch on Tuesday, October 27. On Wednesday, September 2, Dr. Lubchenco announced her intention to improve NOAA’s relationship with the recreational fishing community. In August, sportfishing industry leaders met with NOAA leadership to discuss a variety of issues of concern to the recreational fishing community. Sportfishing leaders emphasized the need for and importance of better scientific data and statistics when it comes to the marine recreational fishing sector. They also stressed the vast economic contribution of the sportfishing industry, which is roughly equal to that of the domestic commercial fishing sector.
ASA Committee and Board of Directors Meetings
During the 2009 Sportfishing Summit, the ASA Board of Directors will meet on Monday, October 26 from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. They will also meet on Thursday, October 29, from 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. The association's committees will meet on Tuesday, October 27. The Government Affairs committee (includes Trade & Commerce, Saltwater and Freshwater subcommittees) will meet from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The Membership, Data & Statistics, Consumer Shows and Finance committees will meet from 9:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. The Show, Communications and the FishAmerica Foundation committees will meet from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The General Membership Meeting will take place on Friday, October 29, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. If you have questions about the board of directors or committee meetings, please contact Joyce Anderson-Logan , x233.
Norville Prosser and Future of Fishing Award Nominations
The American Sportfishing Association has two awards - the Norville Prosser Lifetime Achievement Award and the Future of Fishing Award - to recognize significant contributions to sportfishing. Nomination forms are available on ASA’s Web site . Nominations are due by September 25, to Policy Fellow, Mike Leonard , x230.
2009 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. If you are interested in being a sponsor for this year’s Summit, please contact Membership Director Jill Calabria , x234.
Thank You Summit Sponsors
The American Sportfishing Association would like to thank those who have signed on as Sportfishing Summit Sponsors : Gold – NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ; Silver – U.S. Geological Survey ; Bronze – the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies . For information regarding sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jill Calabria , x234.
Mark Your Calendar for ICAST 2010 and 2011
ICAST will return to Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Convention Center in 2010 and 2011. We look forward to seeing you there!
ICAST 2010 – July 14 - 16, 2010, Las Vegas Convention Center
ICAST 2011 – July 13 - 15, 2011, Las Vegas Convention Center
Exhibiting at ICAST 2010
Now is the time to reserve your space at ICAST 2010, being held July 14–16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev. Booths will be assigned in early October. Contracts and booth assignments will not be processed until a deposit is received. The ICAST 2010 exhibit space contract and floor plan are available on ICASTfishing.org . For more information, contact Kenneth Andres , x231.
Visit the New ICAST Online Buyers’ Guide
The ICAST 2009 Buyers’ Guide is also available online. Visit the new ICAST Online Buyers’ Guide for “who’s who” in the sportfishing industry and what each industry member offers.
ASA’s Web Site is Up and Running
In August, ASA’s Web site, www.asafishing.org , underwent maintenance which may have affected your bookmark to the site. To ensure that you receive up-to-date content on the Web site, please set your bookmark to www.asafishing.org . For more information, contact Ryan Colaianni , x222.
July/August Issue of American Sportfishing is Now Available
The July/August issue of American Sportfishing, the official publication of the American Sportfishing Association, is available online in the Newsroom section of ASA’s Web site, www.asafishing.org . If you did not receive an electronic copy of American Sportfishing and would like to be added to the distribution list, please send an e-mail to ASAcomm@asafishing.org .
ASA Has No Affiliation with Guangzhou International Fishing Fair
The Guangzhou International Fishing Fair, scheduled for March 2010 in China, lists the American Sportfishing Association as a show supporter. ASA has no affiliation with this show and has not authorized its name to be included in marketing materials.
Visit the Redesigned KeepAmericaFishing.org
ASA encourages its members to visit the redesigned KeepAmericaFishing.org . While on the site take time to read through the different issues that ASA is currently working on to maintain public access to public resources throughout the country. For more information about KeepAmericaFishing.org , please contact Policy Fellow, Mike Leonard , x230.
ASA Member Benefits
As an ASA member, you can enjoy discounted conferencing services through our partnership with ConferTel, a leading conferencing company. ConferTel offers a variety of services to ASA members, including phone conferencing, Web conferencing and Webinar service. ASA members receive 300 free minutes of phone conferencing and a free trail of Web conferencing. To take advance of this offer, go to www.confertel.net and enter promotion code 3948 on the “Sign Up Now” box.
Welcome New Members!
ASA welcomes these new members or members who reinstated their membership in August: Aus Cana LLC, The Woodlands, TX; Bloodydecks, LLC, Lakeside, CA; Bob's Machine Shop, Tampa, FL; Crocodile Bay Resort, Petaluma, CA; J & K Sunglass Creations, Watertown, MN and Maruyone Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan.
Book Your Space for the ASA Eastern Shows Today!
The ASA/Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Exposition consumer shows are gearing up for the 2010 show season. Now is the time to reserve space for the Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Expo, Worcester, Mass.,Feb. 11-14, 2010; Greater Philadelphia Outdoor Sportshow, Oaks, Pa., Feb. 25-28, 2010; World Fishing & Outdoor Expo, Suffern, N.Y., Mar. 4-7, 2010; and The Saltwater Fishing Expo, Somerset, N.J., Mar. 19-21, 2010. Current ASA members who participate in all four of ASA/ Eastern Fishing & Outdoor exposition shows will receive a 20 percent discount on standard priced booth space.To sign up for exhibit space, contact the ASA/Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Expo staff at 603-431-4315 or e-mail info@sportshows.com for more information.
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 to Hold Annual Committee Meeting During 2009 Sportfishing Summit
The FishAmerica Foundation will hold its conservation and research committee meetings on Tuesday, October 27, at 2:00 p.m. during the 2009 Sportfishing Summit at the Rancho Bernardo Inn . Specific meeting details will be released in upcoming weeks. The committee meeting is also open to the all Summit attendees.
FishAmerica Requests Support to Invest in Critical Habitat Restoration Projects
FishAmerica received 50 proposals requesting more than $2.1 million for community-based habitat restoration projects across Coastal America, the Great Lakes region, and U.S. Territories of the Caribbean through our partnership with the NOAA Restoration Center . With just over $700,000 in available funds, many critical projects will not receive funding to ensure their success. Anyone interested in supporting these projects should contact Johanna Laderman , x245. Funded programs will be announced in October 2009.
FishAmerica Thanks ASA Members
FishAmerica would like to thank the following ASA members who have contributed more than $62,000 to FishAmerica’s efforts since October 1, 2008, to keep our fish and waters healthy through direct donations, the FishAmerica Gulf Fund, licensed-product sales, tournament partnerships and endowment donations: BLS Consultants; Boomerang Tool Company; 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; Kanji International, Inc.; Lamiglas, Inc.; Magic Products, Inc.; McClain Sales Company; Pro Line Manufacturing; Sea Striker International; Southeastern Fishing - The Liquidators; Surf or Sound Realty; United Anglers of Southern California; Yakima Bait Company; and ZEBCO Brands.
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
Recently an ASA member sent me a very interesting article about what the new business landscape will look like once the economic upheavals have begun to subside. The author made the point that the sooner we accept that “business as usual” no longer exists, the sooner we can become excited about the new economic order and recognize and embrace the new opportunities that are sure to come. The author called it “the New Normal.”
During the upcoming Sportfishing Summit, being held Oct. 27 – 29, in San Diego, we’re calling it “Surviving the Recovery.” We are all creatures of habit and we tend to seek out what is comfortable and recognizable in both our personal and professional lives. But I think we can all agree that the business landscape we’re used to seeing doesn’t really exist anymore. We’re going to address this and other industry issues in both our association board of directors and committee meetings and in our general business sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 27 and 28, respectively. I realize that everyone is still closely watching their business expenditures, however, according to the article, now is a good time to expand your business networks and focus on business solutions. Our goal at the Summit is to provide you with opportunities to do both.
One of our guest speakers during the Summit is Dr. Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator, who will address Summit attendees during lunch on Tuesday, October 27. On September 2, Dr. Lubchenco made an announcement that NOAA intends to “take a fresh look” at the agency’s relationship with the sportfishing community.
Although NOAA has focused primarily on commercial fishing while largely ignoring the recreational use of the ocean, I do believe that this is a genuine effort by NOAA to engage our industry. Despite taking only three percent of the saltwater fish harvested each year while creating half of the jobs coming from saltwater fisheries, the sportfishing industry has always supported fisheries management efforts that seek to improve our nation’s fisheries, salt or freshwater. I’m pleased that Dr. Lubchenco recognizes that saltwater anglers are one of NOAA's largest organized constituencies. Millions of Americans count on NOAA to manage our marine fisheries for their enjoyment and their livelihoods. I am hopeful that this is a turning point in NOAA’s relationship with the industry and recreational saltwater anglers and I’m looking forward to her Summit remarks.
What the “new normal” will look like is anyone’s guess, but I believe that if we work together and focus on new solutions and long-term growth our industry can not only survive but thrive in the “new normal.”
I look forward to seeing you next month in San Diego!
