January
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 on its Government Affairs activities
called Policy Watch.
These documents can be found in the Government Affairs section of ASA’s
Web site.
ICAST Registration Opening Soon!
Make Plans to Attend ICAST 2009
Thank You ICAST 2009 Sponsors
ICAST Sponsorships Available
Conservation Community Sportfishing Industry Mourns the Loss of a Great Friend
ASA Consumer Shows Begin in February
ASA Board to Meet in March
Call for Board of Directors Nominations
Sportfishing Industry and Consumer Product Safety
ASA Bids Farewell to Policy Fellow Mary Beth Charles
ASA Welcomes New Policy Fellow
Welcome New Members
Take an Active Role in New Member Recruitment
Renew Your 2009 Membership Dues
FishAmerica Foundation Updates
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
ICAST Registration Opening Soon!
Registration for exhibitors and attendees is opening soon. Registration for exhibitors opens on February 25 and registration for attendees opens March 2. For more information visit the ICAST Web site or contact Kenneth Andres , ICAST Associate, x231.
Make Plans to Exhibit at ICAST 2009
ICAST, the world’s largest sportfishing tradeshow is coming to Orlando, Fla., July 15-17. For the first time in 11 years ICAST will be located in the heart of the powerful southeastern sportfishing market. Exhibit space is still available for ICAST; however, prime spaces are going quickly. To reserve exhibit space at ICAST 2009, contact Kenneth Andres , x231.
Thank You ICAST 2009 Sponsors
ASA would like to thank its members who have already signed on as ICAST sponsors. These sponsors are: Gold - ESPN Outdoor/BASS , Crocodile Bay ; Silver - In-Fisherman ; and Bronze - Classic Fishing Products, Inc. and Gill North America . Thank you for your support!
ICAST Sponsorships Available
Sponsorship opportunities are still available. 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 sponsorship today and have your companies name in front of 7,000 industry leaders. For more information on sponsorships, please contact Kenneth Andres , x231.
The Conservation Community Mourns the Loss of a Great Friend and Leader
On January 20, 2009, the sportfishing industry and the entire conservation community lost a dear friend and leader – Jim Range. In title, Jim was a Senior Legislative Policy Advisor for Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, a Washington, D.C. law firm, but in reality, Jim, known generally as “Range,” was much more. He was the consummate advocate for hunters and anglers. Jim’s creativity and passion for securing our nation’s natural resources are woven into almost every legislative and executive action in support of fish and wildlife taken over the last thirty years. Jim was a conservation leader of unchallenged proportions. Jim made it his life’s mission – and the legacy he leaves - to ensure that our outdoors was preserved for everyone to enjoy and he let nothing stand in his way. We encourage you to visit his memorial Web site at www.jimrange.com.
ASA Consumer Shows Begin in February
The Fred Hall’s Fishing Tackle and Boat Shows on the West Coast and the ASA/Eastern Fishing and Outdoor Exposition shows on the East Coast are gearing up for their consumer shows which begin this month. Exhibit space is still available for the East Coast shows at TheToyota Saltwater Fishing Expo , Somerset, N.J., March 20-22. For more information on exhibiting at the saltwater expo, contact Jonathan Sauers , 603-431-4315. Also, make plans to attend The Toyota Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Expo , Worcester, Mass.,Feb. 5-8 and The Toyota World Fishing & Outdoor Expo , Suffern, N.Y., Mar. 5-8. Take advantage of the West Coast’s largest consumer shows by exhibiting at the Long Beach Convention Center, March 4-8, and the Del Mar Fairgrounds show, March 25-29. For more information, contact Bart Hall or Mike Lum , 805-389-3339.
ASA Board to Meet in March
ASA’s Board of Directors, Show Committee and Nominating Committee will meet March 5 and 6 in Long Beach, Calif., in conjunction with the ASA/Fred Hall’s Fishing Tackle & Boat Show at the Long Beach Convention Center. The Board of Directors will meet from 9:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and the Nominating Committee will meet from 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. on March 6. The Show Committee will meet March 5 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, please contact Joyce Anderson-Logan , x233.
Call for Board of Directors Nominations
ASA members have an opportunity to voice their votes for new members of the Board of Directors for the 2009-2010 term (beginning October 1, 2009). Three at-large seats and three regional seats (for the South Central, Southeast and West regions) are open. ASA will take nominations through March 1 for consideration during the Nominating Committee’s March 6 meeting in Long Beach. Ballots will be sent to all ASA members in good standing on or before May 1, 2009. Board appointments will be announced in June. Please e-mail your nominations to Board Liaison Joyce Anderson-Logan , or fax them to 703-519-1872.
Sportfishing Industry and Consumer Product Safety
In August 2008, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act , a comprehensive consumer safety act that included an emphasis on child safety creating confusion for those potentially affected by the new law. The potential impact on the sportfishing industry centers on the requirements in the Act related to the use of lead and phthalates and the certification of safe levels in products that are marketed to children. Under the new law, children’s products with more than 600 ppm total lead cannot lawfully be sold in the United States on or after February 10, 2009, even if they were manufactured before that date. The total lead limit drops to 300 ppm on August 14, 2009. Phthalates may not be present in a concentration of more than 0.1 percent in children’s toys. The Act specifically defines children’s products as “a consumer product designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger.”This law does not define sporting goods equipment to be a toy unless the product is a toy version of sporting goods equipment. Even so, it could impact the sportfishing industry in a variety of ways depending on the product line and how it is marketed. For this reason, the American Sportfishing Association is unable to state that all sportfishing products are not accountable under this new law. ASA members are encouraged to visit www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.HTML and review the information to see how it may apply to your product(s).
ASA Bids Farewell to Mary Beth Charles
Mary Beth Charles, Policy Fellow, has completed her two-year term with ASA. Charles plans to pursue a career in fish and wildlife conservation. “It has been such a pleasure working as ASA’s policy fellow the past two years. I have learned a great deal, most importantly about perfecting my cast, and will certainly benefit from this experience as I move on to my next position and for years to come. Thanks to everyone who contributed to such a positive experience for me,” Charles said. ASA wishes Charles all the best in her future endeavors.
ASA Welcomes New Policy Fellow
Mike Leonard has joined the ASA staff as the new Policy Fellow, taking over for Mary Beth Charles. Leonard recently completed his M.S. in Aquatic Ecology at Auburn University, and has a B.S. is in Fisheries Science from Virginia Tech.Leonard’s contact information is mleonard@asafishing.org , x 230.
Welcome New Members!|
ASA welcomes these new members or members who reinstated their membership in January: Angler's Pro Shop, Brooklyn, NY; Cello-Pack Corp., Buffalo, NY; Field & Stream Sports, New Bern, NC; FISHNLIGHT.COM, Holiday, FL; Hookup Lures, Inc., Islamorada, FL; Lil Bit Sporty, LLC, Gotha, FL; Mannequins International, Pompano Beach, FL; QC International Holdings, Eufaula, AL; Rip Line, St Augustine, FL; Stubby Steve, North Tazewell, VA; Sunline America Co., Ltd, Los Angeles, CA; and Tourism Saskatchewan, Regina, SK.
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.
-
Run ASA’s member recruitment advertising in your publication(s), Web site or electronic communications.
Contact Jill Calabria, x234 for more information or to obtain copies of the member brochure or ad.
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. Also, in an effort to ensure you and your staff is receiving ASA’s member benefits such as Policy Watch and Member Update, please send your staff roster to Jill Calabria.
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 Thanks ASA Members
FishAmerica would like to thank the following ASA members for their recent donations to the foundation. These members have invested more than $47,000 in FishAmerica’s efforts since October 1 to keep our fish and waters healthy through direct donations, FishAmerica Gulf Fund donations, licensed-product sales, tournament partnerships and endowment donations. Thank you: BLS Consultants; Carrera-Werner Sales Company; Citti Sales; Corporate Products, LLC (CORPRO); Daiwa Corporation; Evolution Products, Inc.; Expositions, Inc.; Fiber Consulting Services; FishGillz Sunglass Company; FLW Outdoors; Jeff Robles & Associates; Jones & Company; Lamiglas, Inc.; Magic Products, Inc.; McClain Sales Company; Pro Line Manufacturing; Surf or Sound Realty; Yakima Bait Company; and Zebco Brands.
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
In January, the sportfishing industry and the entire conservation community lost a dear friend and leader in Jim Range. He may not have been widely known outside of the policymaking arena, but he had more of an impact on preserving our nation’s natural resources than anyone I know. Although he only lived 63 years, anglers and hunters everywhere owe him a debt of gratitude.
Jim was most recently a Senior Legislative Policy Advisor for Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, a Washington, D.C., law firm. However, over the past 30 years, he played an instrumental role in the crafting and final passage of a string of landmark laws, including the Clean Water Act, but his true cumulative influence on behalf of America’s fish and wildlife resources is inestimable.
Jim was a leader in the truest sense of the word. No one was immune from the passion and genuine sincerity he brought to bear on efforts to safeguard our great outdoors. I’ve personally witnessed skeptics become true believers because Jim truly loved being outdoors. And Jim just didn’t believe in failure. It just wasn’t in his vocabulary. He would do whatever it took to safeguard our outdoor heritage. He had a real talent, a true gift, for being able to bring everyone else along with him. Jim himself attributed much of the success that he and his colleagues had in the policymaking arena to their ability to work in a bipartisan fashion, putting America's outdoor resources above party politics. He often paraphrased President Ronald Reagan, saying, “It’s amazing what you can get done in this town when you don’t worry about who gets the credit.”
He spent many years on Capitol Hill as a vocal advocate for conserving our nation’s public lands and resources. Among several influential positions he held, Jim was chief counsel to Senator Howard Baker when the senator served as Majority Leader. Jim also served on the Boards of Directors for Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, the Wetlands America Trust, the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, the American Sportfishing Association, the American Bird Conservancy, the Pacific Forest Trust, the Yellowstone Park Foundation and the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust. But Jim was perhaps most proud of The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the organization he founded in 2004, and which he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
In 2003, we awarded Jim the association’s highest honor, the Norville Prosser Lifetime Achievement Award, for his lifelong dedication to the sportfishing industry and the entire sportfishing community. That same year he also received the U.S. Department of the Interior's Great Blue Heron Award, the highest honor given to an individual at the national level by the Department, and the 2003 Outdoor Life Magazine Conservationist of the Year Award.
Jim fished and hunted throughout this country with a passion for the sport and a respect for the resources that was unparalleled. He made it his life’s mission to ensure that our outdoors was preserved for everyone to enjoy and he let nothing stand in his way. He will be greatly missed.
