Press Releases

ALEXANDRIA, VA (November 12, 2019) – The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) today announced that its Boat Registration Reactivation Program brought a record number of boats back to the water. The program, which delivered letters to owners of boats with lapsed registrations in 19 states, resulted in more than 60,000 re-registrations.

“Year after year, our Boat Registration Reactivation Program has brought tens of thousands of boaters back to the water,” said RBFF President & CEO Frank Peterson. “Once again, this program has delivered strong results and positive ROI.”

The 2019 program saw an overall drop in total letters mailed but brought an increase of more than 10,000 registrations over the 2018 program. In all, 60,810 boats were re-registered as a result of the program, reeling in more than $2.23 million in gross program registration fees.

“The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has participated in RBFF’s Boat Registration Reactivation Program since the beginning of the program in 2012 and since that time, tens of thousands of boaters in Florida have reactivated their vessel registration,” said Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement’s Major Rob Rowe. “These reactivated boaters are able to get out on the water and enjoy the many boating opportunities Florida has to offer. The vessel registration renewal fees generated by this program also help support boating safety education and fund additional resources, including improved boating access throughout Florida.”

The Boat Registration Reactivation Program is entirely funded by RBFF, requiring nothing more than state agency staff time to carry out. Throughout the life of the program, nearly $14 million in registration fees has been generated from 382,482 boats being re-registered. Response rate for the 2019 program was 10.25%, a 1.5% increase over 2018 and well above the direct mail benchmark of 3%, according to McCarthy & King.

Following the same proven strategy in years past, the program delivered letters to owners of boats with lapsed registrations, encouraging them to get back on the water. By cross-referencing the list of registrations with that of fishing licenses, customized letters are delivered to anglers with information about their state’s best fishing opportunities. To learn more about the program and find out how you can participate, please contact Joanne Martonik.

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About the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF)

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's recently announced 60-in-60 effort strives to attract 60 million anglers to the sport by the end of 2021. To help recruit, retain and reactivate participants, RBFF developed the award-winning Take Me Fishing™ and Vamos A Pescar™ campaigns creating awareness about boating, fishing and conservation, and educating people about the benefits of participation. These campaigns help boaters and anglers of all ages and experience levels learn, plan and equip for a day on the water. The campaign websites, TakeMeFishing.org and VamosAPescar.org, feature how-to videos, 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.