Press Releases

ALEXANDRIA, VA (March 10, 2010) – The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) today announced that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) will participate in RBFF’s State Direct Mail Marketing Program aimed at increasing fishing license sales among lapsed anglers. Thirty-three states currently participate in the direct mail initiative, a three-year program designed by RBFF to increase participation in the sport and generate awareness of the connection between fishing license sales and conservation efforts.

“We are excited that Michigan joined our direct mail effort because recruitment and retention of fishing license holders is critical to long-term sustainability of our natural resources,” said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. “State fish and wildlife agencies are on the front lines of protecting America’s waterways. By increasing participation in boating and fishing, RBFF helps raise needed money—from purchases of fishing licenses to boating supplies—for these state conservation activities. We hope through our combined efforts, we can encourage more people to get back out on the water.”

“With our Great Lakes, more than 11,000 inland lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams, Michigan is a natural for this great program with RBFF,” said DNRE Director Rebecca Humphries. “This is an invaluable partnership that will help us increase sales of fishing licenses, get more people outdoors and, in the end, help us continue offering a high quality outdoors experience for Michigan citizens and visitors.”

In 2009, the direct mail program supported the sale of 314,000 fishing licenses and permits in 32 states and helped generate $6.1 million in gross program revenue for conservation. An average of 45,516 visitors per month has been driven to state sites through TakeMeFishing.org, the premier online destination for boaters and anglers. In addition, the RBFF-ASA Fishing License Sales Index recently reported a 4.7 percent increase in fishing license sales in 2009. The 12-state index represents recreational fishing in the United States.  

“We feel confident that our national Take Me Fishing™ direct mail marketing program and other efforts designed to reach lapsed anglers contributed to the 2009 rise in fishing license sales,” added Peterson.

More information about the direct mail program, including a list of participating states, is available at RBFF.org.

About 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 helps people discover, share and protect the legacy of boating and fishing through national outreach programs including the Take Me Fishing™ campaign and Anglers’ Legacy™.

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