Contact: Aoibheann Cline, Western States Coordinator
The California Legislature officially proclaimed June 1-9, 2019 as California Fishing and Boating Week, in conjunction with the National Fishing and Boating Week.
Through ACR 81, California recognizes that fishing and boating provide invaluable opportunities for families to reconnect through outdoor recreation on the water.
Mark Smith with Northern California Guides & Sportsmen’s Association said, “ACR 81 helps highlight the economic and recreational impacts of boating and fishing in the state of California. The outdoor economy in California is a large part of the reason why people live here and visit the state. California is second only to Florida in the number of registered boats, and in the top five in terms of the total number of anglers.”
According to Marko Mlikotin of California Sportfishing League, “The passage of ACR 81 sends a strong message that California’s political leaders recognize the important role anglers play in funding state conservation and wildlife programs, and generating billions of dollars annually in economic activity and tens of thousands of jobs.”
California’s 2 million anglers spend nearly $3 million dollars on fishing pursuits, supporting a $5.2 billion industry and supporting 37,000 jobs in the state.
Through the American System of Conservation Funding, $1.6 billion in excise taxes is contributed to the federal Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund annually, which funds habitat conservation and restoration. In Commemoration, Californians can fish for FREE on Saturday, July 6 and Saturday, August 31.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
