Habitat = Opportunity = Economic Activity

Reason Enough

November 1, 2012 By Tom Sadler

I submitted this letter to the editor to the Staunton News Leader. It ran today.

If you enjoy the great outdoors, especially hunting and fishing on public lands, then President Obama deserves your vote. The simple fact is that without public lands like the George Washington National Forest or the Shenandoah National Park, Valley sportsmen would be hard-pressed to find places to hunt and fish. Even if you don’t hunt or fish, these public lands provide exceptional recreational venues for people to play outside.

Our public lands are also an important economic engine here in the Valley. We have hunting, fishing, biking, hiking and camping shops and an archery manufacturer all close by to Staunton. They all provide sustainable local jobs and help attract visitors to the Valley who buy food and gas, stay in motels, eat in our local restaurants and visit those stores.

The outdoor recreation economy is serious business. It is responsible for 6.1 million direct American jobs, $646 billion in direct consumer spending and $80 billion in combined state, local and federal tax revenue.

President Obama has made outdoor recreation a priority since taking office, and his efforts have been important for sportsmen here in the Valley and across the nation. His America’s Great Outdoor initiative is a concrete example of his emphasis on outdoor recreation. He has consistently looked for ways to expand access and recreational opportunity on public lands. His budget proposals have included funding for critical fish and wildlife conservation programs. He understands that our hunting and fishing traditions and heritage are based on public lands where everyone can have a chance to hunt, fish or enjoy the wild places.

As sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts, we need a president who understands how important public lands are for both recreation and the local economic benefits they provide. President Obama has shown he understands, he has put his words into actions, and he deserves another term in office.

Regular readers know that the prevailing theme of the conservation posts on Dispatches is summed up in this simple equation: access to healthy habitat creates recreational opportunity and that creates economic activity and jobs.

By and large that healthy habitat is found on the lands owned by all Americans and managed by federal, state and local governmental agencies on our behalf. If you think about it for a minute without those national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests, wildlife management areas, local parks and greenways we would be hard pressed to find places to play outside.

All to often we take these public lands and the people who manage them for granted. We forget that those lands create jobs in many local communities far beyond the governmental jobs. Gas stations, diners, motels, hunting and fishing retail stores, all are small business in local communities that benefit from public lands.

Of course just because I think public lands are a good thing doesn’t mean everyone does. My years as a conservation lobbyist has taught me different. I know there are elected officials who are skeptical about the value of public lands (more on that in future posts).

So what does the general public think about our public lands?

Let’s look at a recent post, “Government does a good job of protecting our natural history” in the Hill’s Congress Blog:

“Fully 87 percent of American voters agree that their “state and national parks, forests, monuments, and wildlife areas are an essential part of my state’s quality of life.” A near-unanimous 96 percent of those we polled in six inner West states likewise agreed.

But voters don’t stop there. Seven-in-ten Americans and nine in ten Westerners agree that these public lands are “an essential part” of their state’s economy. Think about it: in six states with some of the highest proportions of land in public hands, voters were even more likely to view those lands as a valuable economic resource. The numbers quantify what voters tell us in Western focus groups: that public lands bring tourists, hunters, anglers, and other outdoor recreationalists to spend money in their communities; that their neighbors moved there for the clean air, trails, and trout fishing; that a growing company chose their town because they knew future workers would find the nearby natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities desirable too.”

Our public lands are something to be proud of. Maybe it is time we remind our elected officials and the politicians just how proud we are of them.

Give that some thought.

Happy Anniversary S.C.O.F.

October 15, 2012 By Tom Sadler

Meeting the rascals behind the great quarterly online journal Southern Culture on the Fly this summer at the International Fly Tackle Dealer in Reno, NV was one the highlights of the trip. Dave and Steve have an infectious spirit of mischief that was right up my alley. So having a chance to see them in action was a treat.

This latest issue marks the 0ne year anniversary for the enterprise and it is chock full of great stuff, including a look at the fun that was IFTD and a couple of tunes to download from a Dispatch favorite, the Wrinkle Neck Mules. Here at Dispatches we raise a glass of Knob in their honor to mark this great milestone.

With its terrific photos and great writing S.C.O.F. is like a mini vacation to a sweet fishing spot right there on you computer screen. In between issues you can keep up with the latest news on their blog, Those of us who fish and guide in the southeast are fortunate to have this excellent journal around to chronicle the special magic of fly-fishing in this neck of the woods.

Give S.C.O.F. a read and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss out in the future!

AFFTA and ASA to Co-Locate Trade Shows

September 14, 2012 By Tom Sadler

Big news in the fishing industry world today. The American Sportfishing Association and the American Fly Fishing Trade Association announced today that both trade shows will now in under one roof in Las Vegas in 2013.

As an AFFTA board member I strongly supported this decision and am very excited about the IFTD show next year. Having been directly involved in the discussions leading up to this decision I know all options were fully explored and discussed and that co-locating with ICAST was clearly the best option available to AFFTA. AFFTA’s President Ben Bulis deserves special recognition for keeping the process running smoothly.

Here is the Joint Press Release with the details:

Alexandria, VA and Westminster, CO – September 14, 2012 – Today, the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) and the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) announced a partnership in which they would co-locate their trade shows in one venue in 2013. Both the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST, and the International Fly Tackle Dealer Show, known as IFTD, will be held July 10-12, 2013, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

Both ASA’s and AFFTA’s Boards of Directors voted unanimously to support the new partnership and co-locating ICAST and IFTD in the Las Vegas Convention Center next July.

“By joining forces with ICAST and ASA to bring IFTD to Las Vegas in 2013, we are collectively creating what will truly be the largest recreational fishing show in the world,” said AFFTA President Ben Bulis. “This is a tremendous opportunity for the fly fishing industry and AFFTA’s Board of Directors encourages all AFFTA members to take advantage of this opportunity to explore a new and innovative option to grow and improve our collective business interests.”

“ASA’s Board of Directors is pleased that AFFTA has decided to partner with ASA to create an expanded trade show venue that will have a positive impact on our entire industry,” said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman. “By combining both shows in one venue, we can expand the business opportunities for both trade shows in terms of increasing international attendance as well as buyers and media located in the U.S. which will benefit both organizations. If an individual is on the fence about attending one show or the other or both; we’ve now eliminated that barrier.”

Both ASA and AFFTA will each manage its own trade show but will combine some functions, such as the show directory and having the same show hours, where it makes good business sense and benefits show attendees.

Bulis further said, “We feel that this is an exciting opportunity for our industry at the same time realizing that we will have issues such as future locations, dates or potential partnerships or integrations with other existing shows. All of that said, there is really no perfect answer; no solution that is going to please everyone. We do agree that we need to try something that is significantly different and we need to continue to explore new and innovative options to grow and improve our annual show event. Joining forces with ASA and ICAST while continuing to manage our own show, is a great option for fly fishing and for AFFTA.”

Jeff Marble, CEO, Frabill, Inc., and ASA’s Board of Directors chairman said, “From a business perspective, an alliance between our organizations – both of whom are dedicated to growing and expanding the sport of fishing – is something that is totally natural and something that makes great sense for both memberships.”

“What’s exciting is that IFTD is going to remain an independent, progressive trade show that is controlled and run by the fly fishing industry,” said Jim Klug, chairman, AFFTA Board of Directors and Director of Operations, Yellow Dog FlyFishing Adventures. “We will be able to continue to feature all of the elements that make IFTD great including retailer-specific forums and seminars, a large casting pond and a cohesive footprint that will keep fly fishing together in the same area. This is an opportunity to grow the show and provide a better overall experience and value to our members and show attendees.”

ICAST and IFTD 2013 Show Dates and Hours
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas

	ICAST Show Hours	IFTD Show Hours
Wednesday, July 10	9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.	9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 11	9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.	9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday, July 12	9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.	9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

###

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association, committed to looking out for the interests of the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry a unified voice speaking out when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. We invest in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous as well as safeguard and promote the enduring economic and conservation values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America’s 60 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways through KeepAmericaFishing™ , our angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate over $45 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for over one million people.

The American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) is the sole trade association for the fly fishing industry. AFFTA’s mission is to promote the sustained growth of the fly fishing industry. We work to grow consumer demand for fly fishing goods and services, enhance the growth and professionalism of fly fishing businesses, and provide a clear, loud voice to elected officials and government agencies for the protection, enhancement and restoration of fish and fish habitat.

The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012

September 13, 2012 By Tom Sadler

Back in June, Senator Jon Tester, (D-MT) introduced the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 and during consideration of the Farm Bill was able to get it attached as an amendment and included in the version that passed the Senate.

If you are following the news the Farm Bill has been tied up in the U.S. House and prospects for passage are very uncertain. Anyone who knows Senator Tester would not be surprised to hear him referred to as tenacious. And in this case that tenacity is serving sportsmen and conservation well. The word on the Hill is that Tester’s bill might actually get a vote in the Senate before they beat a hasty retreat to wait out the results of the elections.

The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 is a smorgasbord of legislative items that can go a long way to improve the fish and wildlife habitat that makes up the prime venues for hunting and fishing in this country. Senator Tester deserves our thanks and your Senate should hear from you asking them to support The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012. Use this link to send a message to your Senators courtesy of the folks at Keep America Fishing.

Details on The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012

Courtesy of Senator Tester’s office.

Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Access

Making Public Lands Public: This section requires that the 1.5% of annual LWCF funding is made available to secure, through rights-of-way, or the acquisition of lands, or interests from willing sellers, recreational public access to existing federal public lands that have significantly restricted access to hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes. Access is the number one issue for Sportsmen. Finding places to recreate and the loss of access are the top reason sportsmen stop hunting and fishing. In an agency report to Congress (in 2003) found 35 million acres of public land had inadequate access.

Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act: This section amends the Pittman-Robertson Act by adjusting the funding limitations. This allows states more funds available for a longer period of time for the creation and maintenance of shooting ranges. The bill encourages federal land agencies to cooperate with state and local authorities to maintain shooting ranges.

Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act: This bill allows for the Secretary to authorize permits for re-importation of legally harvested Polar Bears from approved populations in Canada before the 2008 ban.

The Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act: This section specifically excludes ammo and fishing tackle from the Toxic Substances Control Act, leaving decisions about tackle to State Fish and Game Agencies and the Fish and Wildlife Service, who currently regulate ammo and tackle. The EPA has denied petitions to regulate tackle and ammo under TSCA in 1994 and again in 2011. This codifies that the EPA does not have the ability to regulate tackle. This includes a savings clause for local, state and other federal regulations.

Bows Transported through National Parks: This provision clarifies the 2007 legislation, and will allow bows to be transported across national park lands. Currently, firearms can be legally transported, but not bows. This poses a practical problem for bow hunters who want to legally hunt on Forest Service or BLM lands, but must cross National Park Service Lands.

Billfish Conservation Act: This section prohibits the sale of Pacific-caught billfish, except in the State of Hawaii, in order to respect traditional fisheries. Billfish (marlin, sailfish and spearfish) populations have declined severely due to overfishing by non-U.S. commercial fishing fleets who harvest billfish as by-catch while targeting other species. More than two decades ago, the United States banned the commercial sale and harvest of Atlantic-caught billfish. Catch-and-release recreational angling for billfish generates many millions of dollars in economic benefits to the U.S. economy each year.

Report on Artificial Reefs in the Gulf of Mexico: This section requires report on the Idle Iron program in order to develop more coordination between agencies and states. This will assure that the interests of recreational fishermen are incorporated into the program.

Habitat Conservation

National Fish Habitat Conservation Act: This section creates a national voluntary grant program to protect and improve fish habitat by improving water quality and quantity across the nation. This section builds on current partnerships to restore waterways and provides an organic statue to authorize the work that the Fish and Wildlife Service is currently performing into one program with an advisory board.

Migratory Bird Habitat Investment and Enhancement Act: This section amends the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act so that the Secretary of the Interior, beginning in 2013 for three year periods, can set the amount to be collected for Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps. It will require the Postal Service to collect the amount established by the Secretary for each Stamp that is sold for a hunting year.

Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Act: This section would grant the Secretary of the Interior permanent authority to authorize any state to issue electronic duck stamps. It also outlines electronic duck stamp application requirements.

Joint Ventures Authorization: This section creates an organic statute for the Joint Ventures program housed in the Fish and Wildlife Service. The Joint Venture program was established within the Fish and Wildlife Service in 1987. This language allows FWS to provide financial and technical assistance to support regional migratory bird conservation partnerships, develop and implement plans for the protection and enhancement of migratory bird populations to support migratory bird conservation.

Reauthorizations

North American Wetlands Conservation Act Reauthorization (NAWCA): This section reauthorizes the North American Wetlands Conservation Act for another five years. NAWCA is a voluntary land-owner friendly initiative that uses incentives to provide valuable matching grants that leverage federal dollars to protect habitat that is critically important for migratory birds, such as ducks and other wildlife. Over the last 20 years, NAWCA has completed over 2,000 conservation project to protect 26.5 million acres of habitat. This voluntary program has over 4,500 partners and has leveraged nearly 3 dollars for every dollar spent by the federal government.

Partners for Fish and Wildlife: This provides provision reauthorizes the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program through 2017. This program works in a non-regulatory, cooperative fashion to help private landowners with habitat restoration on their property. This cost-share program focuses on improving wetland, riparian, in-stream, fish passage, sage-steppe, grassland and aquatic habitats that provide benefits to migratory birds, threatened or endangered species, and other sensitive and declining species.

Neotropical Migratory Birds Reauthorization: This extends the authorization for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Act which allows for voluntary conservation of critical bird habitat with 28 Projects in 26 Countries in 2012. This program leverages four dollars of matching funds for each dollar spent by the federal government.

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Reauthorization: This section reauthorizes the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), a non-profit that preserves and restores our nation’s native wildlife species and habitats. Created by Congress in 1984, NFWF directs public conservation dollars to the most pressing environmental needs and matches those investments with private funds. Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded over 11,600 grants to more than 4,000 organizations in the United States, investing a total of $2 billion for conservation.

Multinational Species Conservation Fund Reauthorization: Section reauthorizes appropriations to carry out the African Elephant Conservation Act, the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994, the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997, The Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2003 and the Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000 for FY2012-FY2017. This will also allow for a five year extension on the corresponding postal stamps.

Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act: This section would amend the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2010 to require such stamps to be available for an additional four years; and provide five versions depicting African or Asian elephants, a rhinoceros, a tiger, a marine turtle or a great ape.

Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act Reauthorization (FTFLA): This section reauthorizes the BLM’s authority to sell land to private land owners, counties, companies and others for ranching, community development and various projects. This “Land for Land” approach creates jobs and generates funding for BLM, USFS, NPS and USFWS to acquire critical in-holdings from willing sellers. The sales revenue allows agencies to acquire high priority lands with important wildlife habitat value and recreational access for hunting and fishing.

Nutria Eradication and Control Act: This section would amend the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to Maryland, Louisiana and other coastal states for a program to eradicate and control nutria populations.

Streamside Tenkara Seminar

July 24, 2012 By Tom Sadler

Colby Mossy Ito bow — Mossy Creek Fly Shop owner Colby Trow with a nice ‘bow using a Tenkara USA Ito

Are you interested in tenkara fishing on spring creeks? Then join us for the Mossy Creek Fly Fishing Streamside Tenkara Seminars. The first one is this Friday, July 27th, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. We will have another one on Wednesday, August 22nd, from 6:00-8:00PM. Colby, Brian and I will be giving presentations and demonstrations on using a tenkara outfit for fishing on spring creeks.

As a guide for Mossy Creek Fly Fishing I know that experience and knowledge is as important to our customers as the products we sell. It is as much a reason for our success as the high quality gear and accessories we offer. We are always looking for fun and innovative ways to share that knowledge with our customers both new and old. This year, tenkara has exploded in our region. Tenkara outfits are the hottest selling items in the store. Not a day goes by when we don’t get asked about it.

During the summer our local spring creeks are a spectacular fishing option. On the water we manage, big bugs and big fish are the rule. Using a tenkara outfit has proven to be an exciting and highly effective way to catch big browns and ‘bows.

This “hands-on” seminar will give you a chance to:

* Cast the full range of Tenkara USA rods and learn which rod is best for different fishing conditions.

* Learn about the different types and lengths of line and which one is best to use for various fishing conditions.

* Learn about setting up your tenkara outfit for spring creeks.

* Learn the “go-to” flies for the various summer spring creek hatches.

* Learn tips, tactics and techniques for successfully fishing spring creeks.

To sign up, call the store at 540-434-2444. The cost is $35 person at time of sign up with Visa or Mastercard, first come – first served.

Space is limited to 15 participants so register early!