July 2010 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 website.
2010 Sportfishing Summit – Mark Your Calendars
2010 Sportfishing Summit Sponsorship Opportunities
KeepAmericaFishing™ Launched at ICAST 2010
ICAST 2010 Highlights
New Product Showcase “Best of Show” Award Recipients
Thank You ICAST Sponsors
ICAST 2010 Surveys Distributed
Exhibiting at ICAST 2011
Mark Your Calendar for ICAST 2011 and 2012
Become a Facebook Fan!
ASA Staff Changes
Sportfishing and Boating Communities Call for Public Access in Ocean Policy
Florida Senator Nelson Introduces Fishery Conservation Transition Act
Update on Gulf of Mexico Oil Leak
2010 Supplemental Appropriations Act
Discounts for ASA Members at East Coast Consumer Shows
Welcome New Members!
FishAmerica Foundation Update
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
2010 Sportfishing Summit – Mark Your Calendars
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 scheduled for October 26–28, at the Westin Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Information regarding Summit registration and hotel reservations will be available on ASA’s website by mid-August. Registration, housing reservations and other Summit materials will be mailed to ASA members the week of August 16. For information, about the Summit program, please contact Communications Director Mary Jane Williamson, x227. For Summit registration information, please contact ICAST Coordinator Melissa Woolley , x241.
2010 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.
Keep America Fishing Launched at ICAST 2010
During ICAST 2010 ASA re-launched KeepAmericaFishing ™ to unite the sportfishing industry and the country’s 60 million anglers with one united voice to keep our nation’s public waters open, clean and abundant with fish. The announcement was made during the sportfishing industry’s 53rd International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST), held July 14-16, 2010, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. At www.KeepAmericaFishing.org ™ anglers, retailers, manufacturers and other recreational fishing-dependent businesses will find the latest news regarding fishery closures and other important resource and advocacy information. ASA is planning a redesign of KeepAmericaFishing.org which will launch this fall. ASA is working with its members and conservation partners on projects that will help brand KeepAmericaFishing as the “voice of the American angler.”
ICAST 2010 Highlights
From July 14-16, 7,000 representatives of the global sportfishing community converged on the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., for ICAST 2010, the world’s largest sportfishing tradeshow. More than 2,000 buyers and more than 525 media representatives were at the show along with 900 international attendees from 63 countries represented. For more information, please contact Kenneth Andres, x231, or Maria del Valle, x240.
New Product Showcase “Best of Show” Award Recipients
The New Product Showcase, the flagship feature of ICAST, occupied an expanded section of the show floor and included 750 new products from 210 companies. The G. Loomis NRX, was voted by buyers and media as the most innovative product in the ICAST 2010 New Product Showcase in both the freshwater rod category and the overall “Best of Show.” Other winners in the 2010 New Product Showcase are: Frabill, Inc., Apparel; Ardent/Lamiglas, Combo; Lowrance-Navico, Electronics; Maui Jim Sunglases, Eyewear; Adventure Products, Inc., Fishing Accessory; Boating Expressions, Inc, Giftware; Pure Fishing, Kids Tackle; Rapala, Line; Koppers Fishing & Tackle Corporation, Soft Lure; Shimano American Corporation, Hard Lure, Freshwater Reel, Saltwater Reel and Freshwater Rod; Minn Kota-Johnson Outdoors, Inc., Marine; HYI, Inc., Tackle Management and Sebile Innovative Fishing, Terminal Tackle.
Thank You ICAST 2010 Sponsors
ASA would like to thank its generous members who helped sponsor ICAST 2010. Our ICAST 2010 sponsors are: Gold - Crocodile Bay , Fishing Tackle Retailer, produced by ESPN Outdoor/BASS , Plano Molding Company , Take Me Fishing and ZEBCO Brands ; Silver –In-Fisherman , Dave Mercer’s Facts of Fishing ; Fishouflage Apparel , Gemini Sport Marketing , Northwest Sportsman and Sebile USA ; and Bronze - Classic Fishing Products, Inc. , Engel USA , FishGillz Sunglass Co. , Gill North America , Girls Fish Too , Green Fish , Hatcams LLC , Irish Setter , Jonathan Paul Eyewear , Maui Jim Sunglasses , Mojo Sportswear Company , NoBarb Hooks , Northwest Sportsman , Southwick Associates and Tuscaroran Pro-Lures . Thank you for your support!
ICAST 2010 Surveys Distributed
The ICAST 2010 Buyer, Attendee, Exhibitor and Media Satisfaction Surveys were distributed via e-mail on August 4. Investing just a few minutes of your time will help us to ensure that your ICAST experience is the best one possible. The survey is being conducted for ASA by Southwick Associates.
Exhibiting at ICAST 2011
With ICAST 2010 behind us, it is time to reserve your space at ICAST 2011, July 13–15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Once a deposit is received, booths will be assigned to exhibitors in early October. Contracts will not be processed until a deposit is received. For more information, contact Kenneth Andres, x231.
Mark Your Calendar for ICAST 2011 and 2012
ICAST will return to Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Convention Center in 2011 and will be in Orlando in 2012. We look forward to seeing you there!
ICAST 2011 – July 13 - 15, 2011, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev.
ICAST 2012 – July 11 - 13, 2012, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.
Become a Facebook Fan!
ASA , ICAST , KeepAmericaFishing ™ and the FishAmerica Foundation combined have thousands of Facebook fans; but with 60 million anglers in the United States, we have a long way to go. Become a fan today and let your friends and family know that they, too, can be a sportfishing fan and do their part to stay informed and help keep our nation's fish and their habitats healthy and accessible now and for the future. Signing up for Facebook access is easy to do. Simply go to www.facebook.com and register an e-mail and password. Once you’re there, type in the American Sportfishing Association, ICAST, KeepAmericaFishing or FishAmerica in the Search box to visit each individual Facebook page. You don’t need to have a personal page to become a fan.
ASA Staff Changes
Communications Associate Ryan Colaianni has accepted a position with Edelman PR in Washington, D.C. Ryan was a valued member of the ASA team and we wish him all the best in his new endeavors. If you have questions or would like to contact Ryan, please contact Communications Director Mary Jane Williamson , x227. Alyssa Hausman has joined the ASA Government Affairs team as the new ASA Policy Fellow for the next two years. Alyssa recently completed her B.A. in Marine and Freshwater Sciences at Colgate University. As Policy Fellow, she will work closely with ASA’s Government Affairs staff on advocacy issues. Alyssa’s contact information is ahausman@asafishing.org , x244.Please welcome her to the ASA staff.
Sportfishing and Boating Communities Call for Public Access in Ocean Policy
On July 19, 2010, the White House's Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force released its final report on a new national policy with the stated goals of ensuring protection, maintenance and restoration of the nation’s oceans, coastal areas and the Great Lakes. Over the past year, the recreational fishing and boating community provided substantial input to the Task Force, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and advocated that the social, economic, public health and conservation benefits of sustainable use of our nation’s public resources receive priority consideration in the new coastal and ocean management policy. Following the release of the new policy, President Obama issued an Executive Order to implement the policies in the report. Read more .
Florida Senator Nelson Introduces Fishery Conservation Transition Act
On July 15, 2010, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced legislation designed to safeguard the strong conservation standards of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) while addressing a growing crisis within the federal marine fisheries management system. S.3594, the Fishery Conservation Transition Act (FCTA), will give federal marine fisheries managers the time, resources and more specific direction necessary to address the chronic deficiencies in data collection and science. Nowhere are these deficiencies more acute than in the South Atlantic where the lack of proper data exacerbated problems in the red snapper fishery and may ultimately result in a closure of all bottom fishing in a 5,000-square-mile area. Please visit www.KeepAmericaFishing.org ™ to send a letter to your Senators urging them to support S. 3594.
Update on Gulf of Mexico Oil Leak
Only July 15, BP announced that for the first time since April, oil was no longer leaking from the Deepwater Horizon oil wellhead. Though the recent top-kill effort is a successful step towards stopping the leak, it is not a permanent solution. BP continues with its efforts to drill a relief well to permanently seal the leak and is optimistic that they will intersect the blown-out well by the end of this week.ASA continues to work with Congress and the Administration to ensure that economic relief efforts in response to the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster include recreational fishing-dependent businesses and are as efficient and effective as possible. ASA also continues to stress that while the oil spill is causing significant harm to much of the Gulf, it is important to note that approximately 76 percent of Gulf waters are open to recreational fishing, including most state waters in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, and all of Texas. For up-to-date information on the Gulf of Mexico oil leak, please go to www.KeepAmericaFishing.org ™. ASA updates this site regularly with information about the oil disaster response and on filing claims for damages resulting from the oil spill.
2010 Supplemental Appropriations Act
In the recently-passed 2010 Supplemental Appropriations Act , ASA worked with Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) to include a key amendment that provides $15 million for fishery-dependent businesses harmed by the spill, $10 million for an expanded stock assessment of the Gulf of Mexico fisheries and $1 million for a National Academy of Sciences study of the long-term impacts of the oil spill on the Gulf’s ecosystem. The act, which provides funding for the BP disaster response, the nation’s military efforts and other programs, was signed into law by President Obama on July 29, 2010.
Discounts for ASA Members at East Coast Consumer Shows
Current ASA members in good standing who participate in all four of the ASA/Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Expos will receive a 15 percent discount on standard priced booth space. Exhibitors who participate in three shows will receive a 10 percent discount off standard booth rates. No discount applies to space booked for the World Fishing & Outdoor Exposition in Suffern, N.Y. 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. Go to www.sportshows.com for show dates and other information.
Welcome New Members!
ASA welcomes these new members or members who reinstated their membership in July: BEHA, Limited, Appleton, WI; Canyon Plastics, Kingman, AZ; China Nantong Red-Sun Plastic & Metal Mfg. Co. Ltd., St. John's, Newfoundland; Croakies, Jackson, WY; Dave Mercer Outdoors, Port Perry, ON, Canada; Easy St. Innovations, LLC, Lake Clarke Shores, FL; Fish Nature Inc., Pleasanton, CA; Fishing Capital Co., Ltd., Weihai, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; Frank Amato Publications, Portland, OR; Gitzit, Inc., St. George, UT; H & H, Lakeland, FL; Hongkee, Markham, ON, Canada; Keep'n It Reel, Huntington Beach, CA; Montauk Tackle Company Inc., Hewlett, NY; National Emblem, Inc., Carson, CA; Paladin Manufacturing, Fairport, NY; Persuader American Angling, Danville, CA; Pro-Cure Manufacturer Rep Group, Salem, OR; Revere Supply; Jacksonville, FL; Rippin Lips, LLC, Chambersburg, PA; Rohrer Corporation, Wadsworth, OH; SE Multimeda LLC, Islamorada, FL; Sunrise Global Marketing, LLC, Mooresville, NC; Superfly International, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Tackle N More, Lawton, OK; The Billfish Foundation, Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Think Tank Lures LLC, Little Compton, RI; Wahoo Charters, Rancho Cucamonga, CA and Yellow Bird Products, Spring Grove, IL.
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.
Plano Molding Company Supports FishAmerica Gulf Fund
On Wednesday, July 14, during ICAST 2010, Plano Molding Company’s Vice President of Marketing, Jesse Simpkins presented the foundation’s Executive Director Johanna Laderman with a $5,000 check to support the FishAmerica Gulf Fund’s efforts to support the expansion of existing healthy fisheries habitat and the creation of new fisheries habitat to ensure the future of sportfish in the Gulf.
FishAmerica Gulf Fund – Preparing for Restoration
FishAmerica is continuing to raise funds for its recently expanded Gulf Fund to include fisheries and their habitats that are being impacted by the continuing oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf Fund was established in 2005 to provide funding for restoring fisheries habitat and recreational fishing facilities devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. To ensure the future of sportfish populations in the Gulf, it is imperative that fish habitat be restored. Funding from the FishAmerica Gulf Fund will be used to support the expansion of existing healthy fisheries habitat and the creation of new fisheries habitat in areas not directly affected by the oil spill. These areas will provide the much needed refuge, spawning and rearing habitat to ensure the survival of sportfish in the Gulf. Make a donation now at www.fishamerica.org/gulfund .
Follow FishAmerica on Twitter and Become a Fan of FishAmerica on Facebook
Get the latest updates on FishAmerica and find out about available funds to help keep our fish and waters healthy. FishAmerica on Twitter (twitter.com/fishamerica) and FishAmerica on Facebook (www.facebook.com/fishamerica) .
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
ICAST 2010, held this past July at the Las Vegas Convention Center, was one of the best attended shows we’ve had in Las Vegas over the past several years and I thank all the members of the industry—our Board of Directors and Show Committee, member exhibitors, sponsors, buyers, media, manufacturers’ representatives and everyone who participated in this year’s show —for their support and participation. I also want to thank the ASA staff for the tremendous effort they made to ensure a successful show for our member exhibitors and attendees alike. I look forward to seeing everyone back in Las Vegas next year for ICAST 2011.
It’s still a tough economy but we had a strong show floor and solid attendance from buyers and media indicates that sportfishing remains a solid industry. I’m gratified that attending ICAST was high on everyone’s list and we greatly appreciate it. ICAST 2010 featured 412 exhibitors filling 1,221 booths. More than 2,000 buyers and more than 525 media representatives were at the show. International ICAST attendance continues to grow each year with 900 attendees from 63 countries represented at ICAST 2010.
Each year, I am amazed by the quality of new products that are unveiled at the New Product Showcase and this year was no different. I congratulate all of the winners and everyone who participated in the New Product Showcase. From the companies who worked hard to develop these innovations to the buyers and media who served as judges, your involvement and support makes the Showcase the show’s flagship feature.
During the annual State of the Industry Breakfast which kicks off the show on Wednesday morning, we launched KeepAmericaFishing™, a renewed effort to unite the industry and our nation’s 60 million anglers with one voice. Anglers and the industry will work together to help keep our nation’s waterways open, clean and abundant with fish. The past 10 years have seen a dramatic increase in bans on recreational fishing. Our goal is to actively engage anglers in these issues and garner their support for our sport. We want KeepAmericaFishing to be the “voice of the American angler.”
In addition to ICAST, there is no better forum in which to discuss the issues before the sportfishing industry than at the 2010 Sportfishing Summit being held October 26-28, at the Westin Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale. The Westin Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale is a great venue for our meeting. The association’s annual business meeting is the best opportunity in the sportfishing industry to hear the latest on issues that affect your business and participate in the industry’s future. Besides the Summit, the International Game Fish Association and its Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum welcomes visitors year-round to its Dania Beach location. The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the largest in water boat show in the world, will be held at various locations throughout the city from October 28 through November 1.
I know that attending the Summit is an investment of your time and resources, however, as an ASA member, the 2010 Sportfishing Summit is one meeting you can’t afford to miss.
I look forward to seeing you in Fort Lauderdale!
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