September 2007 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.
Secretary of the Interior to Speak at 2007 Summit
2007 Sportfishing Summit—October 10 – 12, Sanibel, Florida
Thank You to Our 2007 Summit Sponsors!
ASA Committees and Board to Meet at Summit
ICAST 2008—Follow Your Instincts!
ICAST and MAATS Co-locate in 2008
Welcome New Members!
ASA Announces Staff Changes
ASA Supports RBFF, NMMA Integrated Advertising Campaign
ASA Attends AFWA Annual Meeting in Kentucky
FishAmerica Foundation Updates
Future Fisherman Foundation Updates
Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
Secretary of the Interior to Speak at 2007 Summit
Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne is scheduled to speak at the 2007 Sportfishing Summit as Friday morning’s (October 12) guest speaker. The Secretary will address the critical issue of the decline in children’s interaction with nature and the impact it has on angling, boating, access and the development of future conservationists to protect and strengthen the American traditions of angling and boating. The Secretary’s remarks will set the stage for the reminder of the morning’s sessions which will focus on the very crucial topic of access, particularly as it pertains to efforts to restrict or prohibit access to marine fishing.
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2007 Sportfishing Summit—October 10-12, Sanibel, Florida
The 2007 Sportfishing Summit, the sportfishing industry’s premier networking and business management even is scheduled for October 10–12, at the Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa, not far from Ft. Myers, Fla. Although registration for the Summit is still possible, please note that the pre-registration deadline for the meeting and for housing has passed. Everything you need to register for the Summit and reserve resort accommodations is available on ASA’s 2007 Sportfishing Summit Web site. You can download a detailed agenda, meeting registration form and housing form. For more information on the Summit, please visit the Summit Web site or contact Mary Jane Williamson, x227, or Leslie Boatman, x222.
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Thank you to Our 2007 Summit Sponsors!
Thank you to ASA members Bass Pro Shops, Plano Molding Company, Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, ZEBCO/WC Bradley and Maui Jim Sunglasses for their sponsorship of the 2007 Sportfishing Summit.
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Committees and Board to Meet at Summit
Much of the work of the association is accomplished with the guidance of ASA’s members through its committees and the Board of Directors. ASA’s committees are scheduled to meet throughout the day on Wednesday, October 11, with the Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday, October 11, from 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. and Friday, October 12, from 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m. All Summit attendees are encouraged to attend the committee and Board meetings. For information on committees or the Board, contact Joyce Anderson-Logan, x233.
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ICAST 2008—Follow Your Instincts!
As of October 5, 181 exhibitors have reserved 960 booths for ICAST 2008, scheduled for July 16-18, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This means that 70 percent of the planned floor space is reserved. In 2007, ICAST sold out for the sixth year in a row, and ICAST 2008 is on track for another record-breaking year. So, follow your instincts and reserve your ICAST booth space today! Information on exhibiting at ICAST 2008 is available on ASA’s Web site, including the ICAST 2008 exhibit space contract and floor plan. A list of exhibitor frequently asked questions (FAQs) is also available. A 50 percent deposit is due prior to exhibit space assignment. For more information, please contact ICAST Director Maria del Valle, x240.
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ICAST and MAATS Co-locate in 2008
ICAST will once again co-locate with the Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show (MAATS) produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association, giving you access to more of the industry’s hottest products and companies. Both shows will be held July 16-18, 2008, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information, please contact ICAST Director Maria del Valle, x240.
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Welcome New Members!
ASA welcomes these new members or members who reinstated their membership in September: Asghar Export Kampus, Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan; Blue Chip Charters, Sunrise, Florida; Tacklesmith, Fall Creek, Wisconsin; and XONtv, Melbourne Beach, Florida.
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ASA Announces Staff Changes
Jill Calabria is joining the ASA staff as Membership Director. Many of you will meet Jill during next week’s Sportfishing Summit. Jill brings to ASA many years of association experience managing membership operations and marketing, sponsorship development and service programs. Please join us in welcoming Jill to the ASA staff. On another note, ICAST Coordinator Kelly Camirand is leaving the ASA staff for a position with the National Association of Broadcasters. Kelly’s last day with ASA will be the final day of the 2007 Sportfishing Summit. We wish Kelly all the best in her new endeavors. If you have questions about ICAST, please contact ICAST Director Maria del Valle, x240.
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ASA Supports RBFF, NMMA Integrated Advertising Campaign
The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) have embarked on efforts to increase fishing and boating recruitment and retention by combining the advertising efforts of NMMA’s Grow Boating campaign and RBFF’s Take Me Fishing™ campaign. This is a first-of-its-kind endeavor with ASA as a strong supporter. NMMA and RBFF are working on a plan to integrate their campaigns which will extend the advertising time by several months. Ultimately increasing fishing and boating participation generates more resources available to state natural resource agencies through the federal manufacturers excise tax on fishing tackle and motorboat fuel which goes to the states for fisheries habitat restoration and other vital conservation initiatives nationwide.
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ASA Attends AFWA Annual Meeting in Kentucky
In September, several ASA staff members attended the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ (AFWA) annual meeting hosted by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Attendees heard from the nation’s fish and wildlife conservation leaders, partners and management experts on issues such as marine protected areas and oceans policy, global climate change, participation in fishing and hunting, ballast water rule making, fisheries and wildlife management and other topics. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Southwick Associates presented just-released data and some initial analysis from the USFWS 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. For more information visit AFWA’s Web site.
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FishAmerica Foundation Updates
To help FishAmerica keep our nation’s fish and waters healthy, contact Executive Director Johanna Laderman, x245, or Grants Manager Erica George, x247. Donate to FishAmerica online!
FishAmerica Receives Funding to Remove Dam in Southwestern Virginia
FishAmerica has received $528,510 to assist with the removal of the Rocky Mount Power Dam along the Pigg River in Rocky Mount, Va. The foundation received $328,510 through its partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and a $200,000 grant from the Virginia Water Quality Improvement Fund. The project will reopen nearly 63 miles of valuable fisheries habitat. The Rocky Mount Dam Removal Project is part of the Virginia Rural Area Conservation and Economic Restoration (RACER) program.
Proposals for Habitat Restoration in Chesapeake Bay Watershed Due
FishAmerica, in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust, is accepting proposals for community-based fisheries habitat restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed of Maryland. Local sporting clubs and conservation organizations are asked to submit proposals by December 7, 2007, with grants of up to $100,000 to be announced in February 2008. Eligible project types include, but are not limited to, fish passage, stream restoration and stabilization and wetland and submerged aquatic vegetation restoration. Please visit www.fishamerica.org for further details.
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Future Fisherman Foundation Updates
For more information on Future Fisherman activities, contact Acting Executive Director Anne Danielski, x254, or Program Coordinator Jessie Moore, x224.
Boys & Girls Club Youth Make a Big Splash at Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament
In August, Bassmaster Elite pro anglers led children out onto the waters of the Potomac River to fish as part of the Foundation’s youth fishing tournament hosted in conjunction with B.A.S.S. and the ESPN Bassmaster Elite Pro Series Capital Clash Tournament held in La Plata, Maryland. The participating youth represented the 10 Boys & Girls Clubs from across the country that took part in the Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs (HOFNOD) program as part of the Foundation’s partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Law Enforcement and Youth Partnerships for Crime Prevention initiative. The grand-prize-winning team led by pro Steve Kennedy, included Ingrid Camberos and Suzette Martinez from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the South Bay (Calif.), with a total catch of 13 pounds-9 ounces.
Foundation Thanks Industry Partners for Donations to Youth Tournament
The Foundation thanks ASA’s members who generously donated equipment for the Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament youth event. Each youth participant was outfitted with a customized tournament shirt, fishing rod and reel, tackle box and terminal tackle. ASA member companies that provided equipment and support are: Shakespeare Fishing Tackle, Zebco/WC Bradley, Plano Molding Company, Boat U.S., Gemini Sport Marketing, the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and TTI Blakemore Fishing Group.
Physh Ed Programs Catch on With School Students
There are 87 Physh Ed grant recipients representing 31 states across the U.S. participating in the program during the 2007/2008 school year. Physical education teachers receive an average of $3,500 each to integrate fishing and boating activities into their physical education classrooms.
HOFNOD Hosts Annual Training
The annual Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs (HOFNOD) program facilitators’ training was held in August. Participants representing 12 states, non-governmental organizations, state resource agencies and private citizen groups attended the three-day event. The training provided hands-on fishing and boating instruction as well as valuable networking opportunities for attendees to enable them to effectively teach and train others in the HOFNOD program. Workshop participants have already begun to implement their programs within their communities.
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Message from ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman
Next week, ASA’s members and guests will meet in Florida for the 2007 Sportfishing Summit, the association’s annual business meeting. The ASA staff and I are looking forward to being your hosts. Over the years, our members have told us that the two key things that the Summit offers them are opportunities for networking and a forum for information that they won’t hear anywhere else regarding issues affecting their business. To this end, we’ve developed an agenda that provides both ample time for members to meet and discuss business issues and a comprehensive program that touches on the most pertinent topics facing the sportfishing industry. During the Summit, ASA’s committees and Board of Directors will meet to discuss issues affecting the association and the industry and determine appropriate courses of action.
This year, the 2007 Sportfishing Summit focuses on two key issues—participation and fishing access. With the release of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, the Summit provides a natural forum to examine the current state of the industry and what the future may bring. Despite competition from video games, the Internet and similar activities, increased urbanization and other external forces, fishing remains one of the most popular outdoor recreational sports in the in the nation. During the Summit, we’ll take a look at this from both a data and demographic/generational point-of-view. Of key importance is how does all this affect participation in the sport? During the Summit, members will hear information about what the fishing and boating industries are doing in 2008 and beyond to increase participation in the sport.
I’m pleased to say that the Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne is scheduled to be our Friday morning guest speaker. In the 14 years that I’ve been with ASA, this is the first time a Cabinet member has addressed our annual meeting. We’ve asked the Secretary to address the critical issue of the decline in children’s interaction with nature and the impact it has on angling, boating, access and the development of future conservationists to protect and strengthen the American traditions of angling and boating.
The other issue is access. Certainly, one of the most pressing issues for the sportfishing industry is the establishment of no-fishing zones. During its October 2006 meeting, ASA’s Board of Directors authorized a major new effort to address the establishment of marine protected areas, including no-fishing zones, which could ban or severely restrict access to recreational fishing. Nowhere is this more evident than in California where large sections of the state’s coastal waters—containing some of the best fishing—could be off limits to anglers. At the Board’s request ASA developed and implemented a plan to address this issue in both the long- and short-term. ASA has partnered with several California groups to grapple with this issue.
On Friday morning, after the Secretary’s remarks, we’re going to examine the access issue with remarks from a panel of individuals representing the federal, environmental and fisheries and conservation management points-of-view which I believe will set the stage for some very lively discussion among the panel members and ASA members. Then we’ll hear from our Government Affairs team regarding the details of our California efforts as well as what is happening regarding access in other parts of the United States.
We have an ambitious agenda, but it’s one that I believe will address some of the most pressing issues facing our industry. Once again, the ASA staff and I are looking forward to being your hosts at the Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa. Whether it’s during one of the general sessions or in the hospitality suite, I guarantee our members will hear information that is of value to their business and their bottom line.
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