Press Releases

RBFF Announces Launch of Five-Year Hispanic Outreach Plan
Foundation Partners with Marketing Firm Lopez Negrete, Seizing Opportunity to Engage Growing Hispanic Audience
With the Hispanic population currently at 53 million, this cohort is a critical group to engage, ensuring the long term sustainability of two of America's favorite pastimes, says Frank Peterson, RBFF’s President and CEO.

Las Vegas, Nev. (July 11, 2013) - The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) today announced the launch of a new five-year Hispanic Outreach Plan. In collaboration with Lopez Negrete, a Houston-based marketing services firm specializing in Hispanic consumer communications,  the outreach plan is set to to begin in 2014.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), overall American participation in fishing has risen 11 percent from 2006 to 2011, while Hispanic participation has remained stagnant, despite an exponential growth in this population. Seeing this as a prime opportunity to bring in new individuals to these recreational activities, RBFF began discussions with Lopez Negrete to map out a plan targeting this key market segment.

The five-year plan will focus on a multi-channel outreach approach encompassing digital, social and traditional media, retail point-of-sale strategy and engagement with state agencies. RBFF will pilot the program in states that have a high propensity of Hispanic consumers.

“With the Hispanic population currently at 53 million, this cohort is a critical group to engage, ensuring the long term sustainability of two of America's favorite pastimes,” says Frank Peterson, RBFF’s President and CEO.

Preliminary research indicates the underrepresentation of Hispanics in fishing and boating--currently only 1.675 million out of the 53 million population--is due in part to lack of familiarity of the sport and knowledge of licensing requirements.

“Based on these findings,” adds Peterson, “we will focus heavily on awareness and education in the beginning years, and then will shift to drive participation in years three through five.”

With stakeholders as a critical component to the outreach effort, RBFF and Lopez Negrete today presented some of the plan’s preliminary findings and recommendations to fishing industry stakeholders during a business session at the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades show (ICAST). Titled “Engaging the Hispanic Audience: Insights to Actions,” the session focused on the exponential growth of the Hispanic community, its future impact on the fishing and boating industries and successful strategies to engage this burgeoning community.

More information about RBFF’s Hispanic Outreach Plan, including a list of participating states, will be released this summer. For more information about RBFF and Take Me Fishing, visit TakeMeFishing.org.

About the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF)
Celebrating 15 years in 2013, RBFF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, thereby protecting and restoring the nation’s aquatic natural resources. RBFF developed the award-winning Take Me Fishing™ campaign to create awareness around boating, fishing and conservation, and educate people about the benefits of participation. Take Me Fishing helps boaters and anglers of all ages and experience levels learn, plan and equip for a day on the water. The campaign website, TakeMeFishing.org, features tips and how-to’s that can be used all over the country, tools to compare different styles of boats, information on how to get a fishing license and boat registration, and an interactive state-by-state map that allows visitors to find local boating and fishing spots.

For further information: Stephanie Vatalaro, 703-778-5156, svatalaro@rbff.org