AFTCO - The American Fishing Tackle Company reposted this
The U.S. fishing industry is special — and the American Sportfishing Association is a big reason why. I just got back from a week in Key West with ~200 other fishing industry leaders at this years ASA Sportfishing Summit. Around the world, the business side of sportfishing struggles without strong trade organizations. Here at home, some similar industries have seen their associations and shows fall apart as larger companies put politics and personal interests ahead of the greater good. The fishing industry has held strong. It’s a united trade organization where folks truly care about protecting and growing recreational fishing. There’s a lot of examples of that, but this week at our board meeting and countless others I saw one of the clearest. In a row sat the presidents of 3 major competing reel companies - Daiwa, Shimano, and Okuma - sharing notes on how to make our organization and the ICAST show stronger. I’m lucky to have Carey Graves, David Pfeiffer, and Douglas Lasko as mentors and friends and for the example they set for myself and others. ICAST itself is also unique — built & owned by the industry — with the singular purpose of funding ASA’s government affairs work. That work keeps America fishing and protects public access to abundant fisheries. In a world of rising costs and unfavorable headwinds for the national tradeshow environment, the ICAST show continues to buck those trends as the standard for a tradeshow done right. It continues to innovate and excited for what we have coming in 26 and beyond. There’s been plenty of turmoil in all industries lately, and I’m certain more to come. However, I left the week grateful for ASA’s leadership under Glenn Hughes and many others. I also left with the feeling that the ASA is winning. We’re getting better every day and the industry’s stronger for it. I enjoyed seeing too many other friends to mention, but look forward to seeing everyone again next year at the Grand Hotel in Gulf Shores, AL. If you didn’t attend this year and make your living in the fishing business — brand, retailer, conservation leader, etc — we’d love to have you. Big, small and everything in between we want your voice!!