Dark Skies loom over the Everglades Restoration project. Follow this link to read the Press Release from Captains for Clean Water and how Senate Bill 2508 includes many harmful provisions that spell bad news for Florida waters and what we need to do the help.
Since 1989, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has maintained a singleness of purpose that has guided the organization to become the most respected and trusted sportsmen’s organization in the political arena. CSF’s mission is to work with Congress, governors, and state legislatures to protect and advance hunting, angling, recreational shooting and trapping. Read the letter below sent to the President.
December 23, 2021 President Joe Biden The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Biden,
On behalf of the undersigned members of the sportfishing, boating, and greater outdoor industry, we write to you in support of recent bi-partisan congressional letters requesting that your administration allocate at least $1.5 billion towards turnkey Everglades restoration projects (i.e., the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration program) from funding made available to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
Over four million of the nation’s 55 million anglers reside in or frequent Florida as do almost one million registered boat owners, with many of these focusing on the iconic fishing and boating opportunities in the southern part of the state where ongoing water quality impacts have highlighted the need to expedite Everglades restoration activities. In Florida, the Fishing Capital of the World, the sportfishing industry is a $13.8 billion economic engine supporting almost 120,000 jobs, making clean waters and abundant fisheries of paramount importance to us not only in the state, but nationally. Florida’s $33 billion outdoor recreation economy, driven by fishing, boating, hunting, and other outdoor pursuits, has a robust impact on both jobs and GDP.
With the passage of the IIJA legislation, Congress has provided the USACE with historic funding to improve critical infrastructure and invest in measures to protect against the immediate and future impacts of climate change. Not only does restoring America’s Everglades provide an unmatched opportunity to accomplish both goals, but it also will be a banner example of USACE’s (and America’s) ability to restore the environment on a massive scale and serve as a legacy defining investment for your administration. A generational investment now will undoubtedly be recognized as a galvanizing moment that ensured the future of a national and global treasure.
Passed by the U.S. Congress in 2000, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is a model for shared investment and boasts a 50-50 cost shared program between Washington and Florida. America’s Everglades doesn’t just impact Florida. Beyond the climate and economic benefits to the country, best practices from Everglades restoration can be harnessed for future ecosystem restoration projects and the completion of Everglades restoration will enhance the prominence and funding potential for needed restoration investment across the country.
America’s Everglades has significant momentum, a well-earned track record, and a rewarding future. Everglades restoration is a multi-purpose project with multi-benefit impacts, including restoring critical ecosystems, increasing carbon sequestration capacity, recharging a critical aquifer, providing resilience against storms and salt water intrusion, creating tens of thousands of jobs, and protecting communities and economies that are exceptionally vulnerable to climate change. The Everglades provides drinking water to 9 million Floridians and is home to 78 threatened or endangered species. The Everglades encompasses the tribal lands of two Native American Tribes, includes 14 national wildlife refuges, four national parks (including Everglades National Park – a World Heritage Site), an International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance.
We also support the bipartisan congressional requests that your FY23 budget fund Everglades restoration at $725 million to keep on schedule to complete restoration efforts this decade, as originally envisioned when CERP was passed, and to realize an estimated $2 billion in savings off the overall price tag. As noted in those letters, we believe that supplemental funding from IIJA should be in addition to the federal obligations reflected in the Integrated Delivery Schedule, which should be fulfilled by regular budget requests to Congress and appropriations. Given the dire status of the Everglades ecosystem and the multitude of benefits of restoration, all of this funding is critically needed. USACE has confirmed the ability to carry out $5 billion worth of projects over the next five years. These investments would accelerate the Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir, a key component that will create synergies across the complex system of Everglades restoration projects as it sends clean water south and reduces damaging discharges to the east and west coasts.
Thank you for your continued support and we urge you to ensure generational funding from bipartisan infrastructure legislation is used for a deserving and historically bipartisan cause – restoring America’s Everglades.
Sincerely,
Glenn Hughes President American Sportfishing Association Casey Shedd Chief Executive Officer AFTCO – American Fishing Tackle Company Al Perkinson Chief Executive Officer Bajio Sunglasses Chris Edmonston President BoatU.S. Foundation Chris Edmonston Vice President, Government Affairs Boat Owners Association of The United States Jim McDuffie President and CEO Bonefish and Tarpon Trust Aine Denari President Brunswick Boat Group Daniel Andrews Co-Founder & Executive Director Captains For Clean Water Jeff Angers President Center for Sportfishing Policy Pat Murray President Coastal Conservation Association Brian Gorski Executive Director Coastal Conservation Association Florida Jeff Crane President and CEO Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation Mark Nichols Chief Executive Officer DOA Lures Mike Dixon Vice President Engel Coolers Eric Eikenberg Chief Executive Officer The Everglades Foundation Far Bank Enterprises Fly Water Travel Redington RIO Products Sage Guy Harvey Chairman Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation Chris Peterson President Hell’s Bay Boat Works Jason Schratwieser President International Gamefish Association Matt Gruhn President Marine Retailers Association of the Americas Charlie Johnson Director of Marketing Maverick Boat Company David Anderson Partner Natural Resource Results Frank Hugelmeyer President National Marine Manufacturers Association Collin O’Mara President & CEO National Wildlife Federation Simon Perkins President The Orvis Company Dave Bulthuis President Pure Fishing, Inc. Brad Befus President Scientific Anglers Chuck Yates Vice President SeaDek Marine Products David Pfeiffer President Shimano Casey Sheahan Chief Executive Officer Simms Fishing Whit Fosburgh President and CEO Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Ben Speciale President Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit Matthew J. Reintjes Chief Executive Officer YETI Holdings, Inc
The Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament Feb 26th & 27th fly fishing-only, catch & release redfish tournament benefiting Tampa Bay Water Keepers. To find out more information and to register for the tournament follow the link below. www.tampabaywaterkeeper.org
Location: Lazy L and L, New Braunfels, TX, right on the Guadalupe River
Follow the link below for more information on the event.
https://grtu.org/troutfest/
Expo • FREE Fly Casting Lessons on land and the river • Presentations from guides, outfitters and experts from around the world • Kids events: casting pond, archery and airguns • Booths guides, shops, artists, gear manufacturers • On water watercraft demos
All Release – Redfish, Snook, Bonefish Feb 4th -5th, 2022 Angler House Marina, Islamorada
The FKFGA is also one of the main fundraising organizations for the Guides Trust Foundation (GTF). The GTF mission is to assist guides or persons related to the local fishing industry in times of need. Our biggest fundraiser is the annual Swamp Guides Ball. To sign up follow the link below.
Join us September 15 – 16, 2021 for our annual Hell’s Bay Boatworks Owners Event. We’ll kick off this exciting fun-filled event on Wednesday with a welcome gathering that includes refreshing cocktails and delicious appetizers. The captains meeting will be held after the welcome gathering to go over the rules. The tournament starts early Thursday morning with a nice breakfast and box lunches for each of the anglers. We will finish the day with cocktails, dinner, and awards.
David Wirth with be creating the awards again this year, displaying his unique design and artistry.
This year’s owners event will be hosted at Fisher Inn Resort & Marina, located at Oceanside MM84.9, 84951 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036.
We have arranged a special rate with the Fisher Inn on their remaining rooms. When calling to make your reservations, please use the code “HBB.” The resort offers a boat ramp with trailer parking exclusively for its guests, and slips available at the resort for those wishing to keep their boat in the water.
Thursday- Sept. 16, 2021 6:00 – 7:00 am HB Tournament Team Check-in (Fisher Inn) 7:00 am – Lines in 3:00 pm – Lines out 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Team Check-in and Scoring 6:30 pm Dinner and Awards Ceremony
The Herman Lucerne Memorial Foundation is dedicated to preserving, protecting, supporting, and enhancing the resources that enable the rich angler experiences of the Everglades and Florida Bay for today and for the generations to come.
The 2nd Annual Tripletail Classic, hosted by the Eastern Shore Fly Fishers, benefiting The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
June 18th, 2020: Captain’s Meeting, 6:30PM, American Legion Post 199
June 19th, 2020: Fishing 8:00AM – 6:00PM, Awards Ceremony at 7:00PM
Fly fishing only, catch-tag-photo-release format, teams of 1-3 anglers