fly fishing, conservation and politics.
Blog rolls are a treasure trove whether you are a seasoned blogger or just getting started. You can surf around from site to site and quickly find many informative and entertaining blogs. Our favorites usually wind up in a blog roll on our site.
On of the problems with blog rolls is their static nature. No more! thanks to The Outdooress you can find the most entertaining blog roll you will have have the pleasure to peruse! Check out Fly Fishing: The Confectioness!
Yesterday I had the pleasure of being on a panel in Washington, DC briefing congressional staff and the press on the importance of the recreational economy.
I spoke about the Habitat = Opportunity = Economic activity equation and how investment in conservation had been validated by the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program for more than 50 years.
Here are my remarks:
Just a bit about me. I am a professional fly-fishing guide and instructor specializing in the Japanese inspired style of fly-fishing known as tenkara.
I am also a PR and government relations consultant and former lobbyist.
Most importantly I am part of the $730 billion recreational economy both professionally as a guide and personally as someone who hunts, fishes, hikes and bikes on our public lands.
I also have the privilege to be a board member of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association and pleased to represent them here today.
AFFTA is the sole trade organization for the fly-fishing industry, working to promote the industry’s sustained growth. AFFTA represents more than 300 small businesses in more than 42 states including: Manufacturers, retailers, guides, outfitters and media.
For the fly-fishing industry conservation is a straight-line equation: Habitat = Opportunity = Economic activity.
What that means is healthy fish and wildlife habitat is what creates the recreational venues for our customers. Those venues are where our customers go to fly-fish. Those fly-fishers create jobs for the industry and a lot of collateral business as well.
That is why we are asking the Administration for more public land designations like Ft. Monroe, more protections like the mining withdrawal at the Grand Canyon and for Congress to support funding for conservation programs at levels that doesn’t choke off the economic activity of the recreational sector.
Let’s talk numbers:
From National Fish and Wildlife Foundation/Southwich report The Economics Associated with Outdoor Recreation, Natural Resources Conservation and Historic Preservation in the United States we know outdoor recreation has a significant impact on our economy. Those contributions come from both direct and ripple effects throughout the economy.
In 2006, the Outdoor Foundation put the total economic activity from outdoor recreation at $730 billion a year. Included in that total is $46 billion in gear retail sales, $243 billion in trip related sales and nearly $88 billion in federal and state taxes. That economic activity created 6.4 million jobs.
The $289 billion in sales of gear and trips combined are greater than annual returns from pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing at $162 billion; legal services at $253 billion; and power generation and supply at $283 billion.
Let’s look at fishing, according to that report;
- Number of Participants: 32.9 million
- Jobs Supported: 587,000
- Gear Related Sales: $6.4 billion
- Trip Related Sales: $16.2 billion
- Fed and State Taxes generated: $4.1 billion
- Total Economic contribution: $61.54 billion
When it comes to fly-fishing, according to the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation there were 5.5 million fly-fishers in the U.S. in 2010.
In 2010, fly-fishers took 91 million trips either close to home or overnight. They went fly-fishing 16 times on average. More than 25% go fly-fishing between once a month and once a week. 15% tried the sport for the first time in 2010.
That is obviously good news. New enthusiasts coming into the sport is good for business and also good for conservation.
From Southwick and Associates we have learned that sales of fly-fishing gear continue to grow. 59% of anglers surveyed said they bought fly fishing tackle in 2010. An increase of 4% over 2009.
Trout fishing remains the most targeted fish with 66% of dedicated fly fisherman target trout.
In the past year, nearly 40% of anglers traveled out of state to fish. Of those who traveled out of state; 35% took at least one trip out of state, 24% took two,10% took three and 31% said they traveled out of state to fish four or more times in the past year.
“Many of these trips require the purchase of gas, meals, hotels, guide or charter boat services and tackle, all of which go to strengthen local economies” said Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates,
Fishermen pay an excise tax on the gear they purchase. Those funds go into the Sport-Fish Restoration Account also know as the Dingell-Johnson, Wallop-Breaux accounts.
Since 1941, businesses in the sport-fishing industry have paid a federal excise on the products that they manufacture.
In 1950 sportsmen and businesses worked with Congress to redirect these existing excise taxes to the Sport-Fish Restoration Program.
The idea was simple. By investing in improvements to sport-fish habitat and public access, more people would fish and sales of gear that generated the tax would increase.
This has been a enormously successful partnership between the fishing industry, anglers, state and federal fisheries agencies. The funds go to state fish and game departments. They have used those funds to help restore fish populations and to increased fishing opportunities
Today, there are at least 77% more anglers then there were in 1950. Purchases of tax-related items by anglers have increased almost 200% in constant dollars since 1955.
This is a sterling example of how reliable conservation funding has fueled economic growth. At the same time, the nation as a whole enjoys from the collateral benefits of conserving our public lands; such as clean air and water and place to enjoy healthy exercise and spiritual renewal.
Why is all this important? It’s simple.
Without continuing to invest in programs to conserve, maintain and create these recreational venues we put this economic activity and those jobs at risk.
Here are the “take aways”:
- Healthy habitat creates recreational venues, much of it is public land
- Those venues provides sustainable, long term economic activity
- We must protect what we have like the Grand Canyon
- We must add more where we can like at Ft. Monroe
- Without strong leadership the Habitat = Opportunity = Economic activity equation is doomed to second rate status
- Lost venues means lost economic activity
- Lost economic activity threatens funding that supports state fish and wildlife programs.
For too long outdoor recreation has been relegated to second class status and seen as nothing more than a bunch of hobbyists.
The facts show a different picture.
Outdoor recreation deserves recognition for the economic contribution it makes to our country.
A contribution built on investing in conservation programs and funding. Conservation and outdoor recreation deserve well-funded support from Congress.
Thank you.
“The road goes on forever and the party never ends” or so I texted friends back home as we continued our tenkara tour of the Jackson Wyo. area.
After a sensational day on Flat Creek (click here for that story) we were pretty stoked to fish more smaller streams in the area.
A quick check in with our friends in a couple of local fly shops gave us da beta we needed.
Our first stop was Fish Creek, and a chance to put a big bend in the tenkara rod.
During our last visit to the Jackson area we had fished the Gros Ventre and wanted to give it a try again. We headed up that way and decided that Crystal Creek, water we hadn’t fished before was worth a look. Crystal Creek was prime tenkara water and we roamed about trying a variety of spots.
After spending two weeks with a tenkara rod in my hand fishing a variety of water and catching some pretty decent sized fish I am more convinced than ever of both the effectiveness and versatility of tenkara fishing.
If you want to learn more I encourage you to check out the Tenkara Guide section of Dispatches, just click here.
My good friend Chris Hunt who blogs at Eat More Brook Trout has started interviewing some fly fishing notables. Last week he interviewed another good friend, Craig Mathews.
Chris writes:
“In addition to being one of the country’s fly fishing elite, Craig is a staunch conservationist who, over the years, has been able to speak truth to power in a way that is constructive and helpful. And he puts his money where his mouth is–in partnership with Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, Craig helped start the “1% for the Planet” program, where businesses and industry could earmark 1 percent of their profits to conservation-centric the non-profits of their choice.”
Click here to read the entire interview: Eat More Brook Trout: 20 Questions: Craig Mathews.
Craig is responsible for my getting me started on tenkara and it was a treat to spend some time with him at the tenkara summit last month.
He also shares a very special place in the Sadler household having officiated at our wedding 5 years ago.
After the tenkara summit in West Yellowstone, MRS and I took off for Wyoming and some tenkara fishing in the Jackson Hole area.
Before we left West we made a trip to the Madison River and some fishing at $3 Bridge.
Five years ago Beth and I go married at this spot and we were excited to be back.
We worked our way down through Yellowstone National Park, fishing as we went. Ok I fished, Beth took pictures…
We wound up in Hoback, WY. for a couple of nights with the Rivers of Recovery crew. BTW: If you don’t know about RoR then click here and check it out.
Be sure to watch the two videos, start with the one on the right. If you are unmoved by them, check your pulse.
We made a foray to the headwaters of Flat Creek. It was a spectacular 4×4 drive into the backcountry.
The chance to visit the headwaters of Flat Creek and to do it in the company of good friends made the trip special.
That they have served our country with honor and distinction makes me proud to be in their company.
As they say the road goes on forever and the party never ends.
Stay tuned for more pictures in episode two. Coming soon.
Last month I traveled to West Yellowstone, MT for the first Tenkara Summit. More than 100 hundred people showed up to hear presentations, talk tenkara and see an on-stream demonstration.
Here is part of the write up by Daniel Galhardo on the Tenkara USA blog:
Originally we had expected, optimistically, that about 70 people would show up. The conference room was setup to accomodate 100 people, but that was not enough. Over 100 people showed up yesterday. People came from 23 different states, and from 3 different countries specially for the Summit (well, they did come to fish in Montana…). I’d really like to thank all those who came and helped make this an extraordinary event; it was the best crowd ever. Thank you!
The Tenkara Summit had the presence of special guests Dr. Hisao Ishigaki, the leading authority on tenkara in Japan; Chris Stewart of tenkarabum.com; Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies who gave a very passionate presentation about tenkara in Montana and showed some great clips of large fishing being caught; Ryan Jordan of backpackinglight.com as well as ryanjordan.com; and Tom Sadler who spoke about the advantages of using tenkara as a guide and as a way to introduce new people to fly-fishing so they can continue conserving the environment in the future.
Dr. Ishigaki is known as the “Tenkara King” in Japan. His presentation was a wonderful insight into the world of tenkara. He is a warm and charming story teller lacing his presentation with witty anecdotes of his tenkara exploits.
It was a special honor to part of the summit and to learn from fellow tenkara enthusiasts!
One personal highlight was to have lunch with Craig Mathews and Yvon Chouinard. Those two were the reason I got started with tenkara so it was a special treat to spend time with them both at the summit.
Dr. Ishigaki showed his tenkara chops during an on-stream demonstration.
Watching Japan’s Tenkara King put a tenkara rod through it’s paces was fascinating. It was also reassuring to see that my on tenkara technique was not so bad.
