Press Releases
ALEXANDRIA, VA (April 26, 2007) – All across America people are planning time on the water to celebrate National Fishing & Boating Week. The 7th annual celebration, being held June 2-10, promises to be the biggest ever with events planned from coast to coast, including fishing derbies, regattas, educational events, boating demonstrations, festivals and many other aquatic activities.
“The idea behind National Fishing & Boating Week is really quite simple,” says Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) President Frank Peterson. “We’re trying to get the family up off the couch to get outside and have some fun. We also want our boating and fishing partners to get involved and inspire participation among their members and customers.”
“If you’re already an avid angler, National Fishing and Boating Week is a great time to take the Anglers’ Legacy pledge and commit to take someone new fishing,” adds Peterson. Anglers’ Legacy, which was created in 2006 to address declining fishing participation, asks those who are actively involved in the sport to share their passion with someone new. RBFF’s goal is to get at least 50,000 pledges by the end of the year.
Interest in outdoor activities is on the decline as kids are spending less time outdoors, and Peterson believes introducing kids to fishing and boating at an early age is one way to begin reversing this trend. Declining participation also has a direct effect on conservation, with an average of 83 percent of each state’s funding for managing and conserving aquatic resources coming from the sale of fishing licenses and excise taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat fuel.
National Fishing & Boating Week has grown each year and with retailers, manufacturers and state agencies all hosting events, this year’s fishing and boating celebration is expected to draw more participants than ever before. For a listing of events taking place during National Fishing and Boating Week and information about the states’ free-fishing days, visit RBFF’s TakeMeFishing.org Web site, a mega resource for boaters and anglers of all ages and all levels of experience that provides visitors with helpful tips and insights and more than 10,000 searchable locations to boat and fish nationwide. For free, downloadable event planning materials visit RBFF.org.
About RBFF
RBFF is a nonprofit organization established in 1998 to increase participation in recreational angling and boating. RBFF helps people discover, share and protect the legacy of boating and fishing through national outreach programs including the Take Me Fishing™ and Anglers’ Legacy campaigns.
For more information contact Stephanie West at 703-519-0013, ext. 105 or swest@rbff.org.
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