November 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.
2009 Sportfishing Summit Highlights
March 2010 ASA Board of Directors Meeting
ICAST 2010 – Reserve Your Booth Space Today
Visit the Online ICAST Buyers’ Guide
Become a Facebook Fan!
Renew Your Commitment to Sportfishing’s Future
Take an Active Role in New Member Recruitment
Welcome New Members!
Recognize the Late Jim Range and Help Conserve the Outdoors Through Your Vote!
Book Your Space for the ASA Eastern Shows
California Marine Life Protection Act Planning Update
Washington State Anglers Face a Ban on Lead Fishing Tackle
FishAmerica Foundation Updates
2009 Sportfishing Summit Highlights
The 2009 Sportfishing Summit highlights are available on ASA’s Web site . Mark your calendar now for the 2010 Sportfishing Summit scheduled for October 26 – 28, at the Westin Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For more information, contact Mary Jane Williamson , x227, or Ryan Colaianni , x222.
March 2010 ASA Board of Directors Meeting
The next ASA board of directors meeting will be held March 5, 2010, in Long Beach, Calif., in conjunction with the ASA/Fred Hall Shows. For more information, contact Joyce Anderson Logan , x233.
ICAST 2010 – Reserve Your Booth Space Today
From July 14 – 16, 2010, the world’s largest sportfishing trade show, the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST), will return to Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Convention Center. “Get in on the action” by reserving your exhibitor space today and ensure that your business is front and center at the world’s premier sportfishing trade show. Nearly 70 percent of the available exhibit space is sold, so reserve your space today! The ICAST 2010 exhibit space contract and floor plan are available on ICASTfishing.org . Contracts and booth assignments will not be processed until a deposit is received. For more information, contact Kenneth Andres , x231.
Visit the Online ICAST Buyers’ Guide
The online version is an easy-to-use edition of the printedICAST Buyers’ Guidewhich is distributed during the world’slargest sportfishing trade show. Visit the online ICAST Buyers’ Guide for this “who’s who” in the sportfishing industry and see what each ASA industry member offers in products and services.
Become a Facebook Fan!
ASA, ICAST, KeepAmericaFishing and the FishAmerica Foundation combined have hundreds 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.
Renew Your Commitment to Sportfishing’s Future
ASA mailed its annual membership dues renewal invoices in mid-November. 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 Jill Calabria, x234.
Take an Active Role in New Member Recruitment
If you would like to help ASA recruit new members, please include http://www.asafishing.org/tellmemore/ in your e-mail signature line, your e-mails to business colleagues or include the link on your Web site. Businesses whose livelihoods depend on recreational fishing need to do their part to ensure sportfishing’s future. Please contact Jill Calabria, x234 for more information.
Welcome New Members!
ASA welcomes these new members or members who reinstated their membership in November: Fish Eyes, Arlington, TX ; Kingly (H.K.) Fishing Tackle Co., Ltd., Kowloon, Hong Kong; Oswego County Department of Community Development, Tourism and Planning, Oswego, NY; RDLM, LLC, Biloxi, MS; Szco Supplies, Inc., Baltimore, MD.
Recognize the Late Jim Range and Help Conserve the Outdoors Through Your Vote!
The late Jim Range, one of this country’s most influential conservationists and founder of the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), is a nominee for the Budweiser 2010 Conservationist of the Year award. Budweiser and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, partners in presenting this award, will donate $50,000 to the 2010 recipient. Jim’s family has designated TRCP to receive the funds if Jim should receive this award. To vote go to www.budweiser.com – after logging in, click on “Site Directory” in the upper right hand corner. You will then see a link to “Bud Conservationist” on the left side of the screen. Please do your part to recognize Jim’s legendary efforts to conserve our nation’s fish and wildlife resources. Voting closes on December 15. The award will be presented at an event during the Shot Show in Las Vegas on January 21, 2010.
Book Your Space for the ASA Eastern Shows
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.
California Marine Life Protection Act Planning Update
During its November 10 meeting, California’s South Coast Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF), appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, voted to send its own preferred alternative proposal establishing a vast system of marine protected areas along the South Coast to the state’s Fish and Game Commission (FGC). Particularly hard hit will be the Malibu, Orange County and San Diego County fishing communities. The recreational fishing and boating community, represented by the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO), supports Proposal 2, a proposal drafted in part by recreational and commercial fishermen, that provides significant additional conservation for California’s ocean resources while minimizing the economic impact of lost recreational fishing and boating opportunity. The BRTF’s preferred alternative joins three other proposals developed by the Regional Stakeholder Group (RSG) which the BRTF voted to forward to the FGC during its October 21, 2009, meeting. The FGC will formally receive the four proposals during its December 9, 2009 meeting. The meeting will be held at: Radisson Hotel - LAX, ABC Ballroom, 6225 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. To protect as much recreational fishing opportunities as possible, please send an e-mail to the California Fish and Game Commission in support of Proposal 2 and voice your support for recreational fishing. A formal regulatory process to evaluate the impacts of the MPA designations must occur before a final vote can be taken by the FGC sometime late in 2010.
Washington State Anglers Face a Ban on Lead Fishing Tackle
A recent proposed sportfishing rule in Washington state would unduly ban the use of lead fishing tackle. Advocates for the proposed ban suggest that lead fishing tackle is a significant threat to common loon populations; however, over the past 13 years, only nine loons are found to have died from ingesting lead fishing tackle. A study of common loons by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife found “no evidence of a declining population or a substantial change in distribution” in the state, and loon populations are stable or increasing throughout their range. ASA staff attended the December 5, meeting in Olympia and provided testimony on the proposals and discussed it with agency staff and Commissioners. ASA is closely monitoring this issue and is asking anglers to send letters to the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission asking them to reject this proposal. To read ASA’s Policy Alert about this issue, go to www.asafishing.org/government/pa_111709.html . The commission will make a decision in February 2010.
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.
Funding Available for Chesapeake Bay Watershed Fisheries Habitat Restoration
FishAmerica has up to $350,000 in available funding through its partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust and new partner the NOAA Restoration Center. In its sixth year, the partnership dedicates funding to restore fish habitat, improve water quality and enhance fish stocks in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. New this year is the Headwaters Restoration track which specifically focuses on headwater fish habitat restoration throughout the Bay watershed including Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Grants of up to $75,000 will be announced in March 2010. See the Request for Proposals for more details and visit the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s online grants site to apply. Since 2002, FishAmerica and the Trust have awarded more than $375,000 to 17 fisheries conservation projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to Maryland-based organizations.
Still Time to Support FishAmerica (#12295) through the Combined Federal Campaign
Through December 15, federal employees can pledge their donations to the FishAmerica Foundation (#12295) through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). Since 2007, federal employees have given nearly $40,000 to keep our fish and waters healthy. Help support our mission and make your pledge today. The annual CFC Annual Workplace Giving Season, which runs from September 1 through December 15, allows federal employees to make donations to their favorite charity through a single contribution or bi-weekly payroll deductions.
