Senators Begich, Rubio Honored by CCC for Conservation Work

U.S. Senators Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) were honored by the Center for Coastal Conservation at its annual legislative conference.  Begich received the Center's Lifetime Achievement Award, and Rubio was recognized as its Conservationist of the Year.

"These two senators are extraordinary leaders for conservation," said Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Coastal Conservation.  "Their commitment to good stewardship of America's marine fishery resources is making a difference from coast to coast to coast."

Begich chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard, and has long been an advocate for proper management of fishery resources.  He was an original co-author of the Fishery Science Improvement Act (FSIA) in the last Congress and is proud that anglers today enjoy great salmon fishing in the heart of Anchorage thanks to the award-winning Salmon in the City program he launched while mayor there in 2007.

Begich is guiding the reauthorization process for the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), the overarching federal law governing marine fisheries. He recently delivered the closing remarks at the Managing Our Nation’s Fisheries Conference in which he highlighted some of the difficulties MSA has created for recreational fisheries as well as other challenges, such as the loss of marine habitat through the removal of “Idle Iron” in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Congress has taken some major steps forward to make our marine fisheries sustainable but we have a lot more to do," said Begich.  "Sound scientific management needs to be our priority as we work toward reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act this Congress."

Rubio, the Ranking Republican on the same Subcommittee, hails from America's #1 state for marine recreational fishing and was also an original co-sponsor of FSIA.   An avid angler himself, he sees the $17+ billion economic impact of recreational fishing in the Sunshine State.

“I am honored to be the Center's Conservationist of the Year. Federal fisheries management is broken for recreational fishing,” said Senator Rubio. “It is vital that we address the problems faced by our recreational anglers when Congress reauthorizes the Magnuson-Stevens Act.  This industry is a huge economic driver for our state and we must ensure those recreational fishermen who use the waters and precious resources surrounding Florida can continue to enjoy their favorite pastime.  I look forward to working with the Center for Coastal Conservation and other stakeholders as we begin this important debate.”

A Good Idea Spoiled by 'The Sky Is Falling' Idiocy

Today is Earth Day 2013.

 I think Earth Day is a great idea for creating awareness and emphasizing the importance of our ties to nature and the environment. And I believe that we have a moral obligation to be good stewards of our planet.

But let’s take a look at what was predicted on the first Earth Day in 1970 and consider how many people continue to foolishly follow Doomsday prophets such as Al Gore --- including those who now govern our country. 

“We have about five more years at the outside to do something.” 
• Kenneth Watt, ecologist

“Scientists have solid experimental and theoretical evidence to support…the following predictions: In a decade, urban dwellers will have to wear gas masks to survive air pollution…by 1985 air pollution will have reduced the amount of sunlight reaching earth by one half….” 
• Life Magazine, January 1970

“By the year 2000, if present trends continue, we will be using up crude oil at such a rate…that there won’t be any more crude oil. You’ll drive up to the pump and say, `Fill ‘er up, buddy,’ and he’ll say, `I am very sorry, there isn’t any.’”
• Kenneth Watt, Ecologist

“Man must stop pollution and conserve his resources, not merely to enhance existence but to save the race from intolerable deterioration and possible extinction.”
• New York Times editorial, the day after the first Earth Day

“Demographers agree almost unanimously on the following grim timetable: by 1975 widespread famines will begin in India; these will spread by 1990 to include all of India, Pakistan, China and the Near East, Africa. By the year 2000, or conceivably sooner, South and Central America will exist under famine conditions….By the year 2000, thirty years from now, the entire world, with the exception of Western Europe, North America, and Australia, will be in famine.”
• Peter Gunter, professor, North Texas State University

And my favorite:

“The world has been chilling sharply for about twenty years. If present trends continue, the world will be about four degrees colder for the global mean temperature in 1990, but eleven degrees colder in the year 2000. This is about twice what it would take to put us into an ice age.”
• Kenneth Watt, Ecologist

Go here to read more.

And here is some more good stuff.

RF's Fish-A-Thon Funds Local Conservation Projects

Recycled Fish (RF) is providing more than $7,000 for local conservation projects as a result of September 24 Hour Fish-A-Thon Presented by Berkley.

For example, funds will go to help restore urban waterways in the Philadelphia area and in Alaska they will go to stop a dam. In Iowa, they will benefit the state’s Resource Enhancement and Protection program.

Money also will go toward restoration of the Mississippi Delta through Vanishing Paradise and for local distribution of RF’s Stewardship Kits through the One Million Stewards program.

Learn more here.

And go here to see how funds were distributed.

And if you don't know about Recycled Fish, you should. It's not just about catch-and-release. It's about being a good steward in all aspects of your life because we all live downstream.

B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Leads in Keeping Plastic Baits Out of Our Waters

Cody Bigford of Lakeland, Fla., collected more than 6,000 used baits. Photo courtesy of Eamon Bolten

This column is intended as a thank-you to the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation state conservation directors out there who have recognized the need for us to be better stewards of our fisheries and are doing something about it.

These guys and gals are volunteers with families, jobs, and other responsibilities, but they are taking the time to make a difference.

I’m speaking specifically of their dedication to educate and involve anglers in properly disposing of used plastic baits, or, even better, recycling them.

Ray Scott did a great thing when he extolled the virtues of catch-and-release decades ago. Millions of anglers bought into the idea, and, as a result, both the face and the nature of sport fishing were changed for the better.

But we’ve ridden that tailwind long enough. It’s time to do more for conservation, especially in light of growing anti-fishing sentiment in our increasingly urban society. When we don’t take responsibility for maintaining a positive public image, we allow others control of our destiny --- and that’s not good.

Why target used plastic baits? Here’s why:

At Florida’s recent Junior State Championship on Lake Okeechobee, Cody Bigford of the Lakeland Junior Bassmasters turned in 130 pounds of baits that he had collected from various events in his area. That’s one person, in one town, accumulating more than 6,000 used baits.

Now, think nationally and you easily can see the massive quantity of used baits that millions of anglers discard annually.

Too many of those are being tossed into lakes and rivers or discarded along shorelines. Anecdotal evidence suggests that some bass eat those baits and, as a result, suffer intestinal blockages, which leads to death by starvation.

The real problem with trashing our waters with used baits, though, is that it’s irresponsible, plain and simple. Leaving trash of any kind behind is wrong --- even if it is at the bottom of a lake.

But Cody and others are spreading awareness and building a new ethic worthy of the Ray Scott legacy. Of course, in the early going, incentives help.

In Illinois, Allen Severance staged a plastic baits weigh-in at the end of a tournament. The challenge, he said, “was finding a way to convince anglers to participate.”

He did that by convincing Bass Pro Shops to donate gift cards for the winning clubs.

Michigan’s Jarrod Sherwood tried something similar for his state’s championship tournament. He spread the word as early as possible that prizes would be given to the clubs that turned in the most baits. “I am sure the clubs have been ‘cheating’ and collecting baits throughout the year,” he said.

“Our course, that was the point of letting them know ahead of time.”

Wisconsin’s Ken Snow said, “Our guys really like the idea (of turning in used plastic baits). Our youth director, Jessie Heineke, took the baits to melt down and recycle into some hand-poured baits.”

South Dakota’s Jeff Brown added, “Our anglers are pitching in and getting the hang of keeping their plastics that they typically discard. We hand out plastic bags for lure collection prior to the tournament and have a receptacle at the weigh-in for used baits.

Brown also said that he has “worked out a deal” with Minnesota’s Mickey Goetting, who is also the owner of MG Lures. “He specializes in hand-poured lures and has agreed to re-manufacture the baits into something our youth program can sell.”

Adopting the name “ReBaits,” Florida’s Eamon Bolten was the first to envision a program in which used baits could be turned into new baits. Ideally, he would like to see it go national as a coordinated project, with conservation directors collecting and sending in used baits. Proceeds from sales of new baits would go to conservation.

But logistics of such a large-scale undertaking have yet to be worked out. Right now, he has contracted with one company, Reel-Feel Baits, to melt old baits into new. He then gives those baits to those who turned in used plastics.

“Maybe eventually we will sell them,” he said.

Meanwhile, he is encouraged by what he sees happening nationally, not only with other conservation directors but with anglers in general.

“People are starting programs all over the country,” he said. “Some are even using the ReBaits name.

“We’re getting the message across and keeping baits out of landfills and fisheries.”

(Reprinted from B.A.S.S. Times.)

Fisheries Conservation Wins in Fish-A-Thon

Participants in Recycled Fish’s 24 Hour Fish-A-Thon provided an impressive victory for fisheries conservation this year.

Forty-two teams from 27 states raised more than $20,000, while catching, photographing, and releasing more than 2,000 fish. Additionally, participants collected dozens of bags of trash from in and around the waters that they fished.

Team Playland of western Pennsylvania and Team Extreme Philly Fishing led the way in fund-raising, as they engaged in a friendly cross-state competition.

“We’ve never seen anything like it,” said Teeg Stouffer, Executive Director of Recycled Fish (RF).

“These teams sandbagged donations until the final hours of the months-long fundraising effort. Both Team Playland and Team Philly Extreme had already raised thousands, but both began submitting hundreds of dollars in the final day and both made large donations in the final hour of fund-raising, pushing us to our highest  total in the history of the event.”

Team Playland edged Team Extreme Philly in that category, while Team J&J Kalico Kings won the angling competition, catching and releasing 126 assorted saltwater fish in San Diego Bay.

Team Extreme Philly took second place there as well. Members caught more than 500 in the Schuylkill River. White perch made up the bulk of the catch, but a mix of sunfish, catfish, juvenile striped bass and others made for a lively 24 hours of fishing  in urban Philadelphia.

“While many prizes were awarded, the real victory is for healthy fisheries,” said Stouffer.

“Already this year 24 Hour Fish-A-Thon funds have gone to help fund the installation of a fish barrier at Big Creek Lake in Iowa from Team Fishfeeder’s efforts. In Minnesota, Team Flippin’ & Pitchin’ used some of its funds to assist in the White Bear Lake Cleanup last weekend.

“Dozens of other local projects to help solve specific issues across North America will receive funding from the efforts of 24 Hour Fish-A-Thon anglers and the people who generously donated to their teams.”

Sponsor Berkley, meanwhile was “thrilled” with results, according to Roxanne Coleman, Senior Field Marketing Manager at Pure Fishing.

“The folks at Recycled Fish are making a difference. These guys work hard to encourage the rest of us to stop ignoring the environment. If you spend time in the outdoors you need to support this program.”

To learn more about the teams, the fish they caught, the funds they raised, and the prizes that they won, go here.