Today, representatives from every sector of the sportfishing industry sent a letter to President Obama urging the administration to make federal financial assistance immediately available to recreational fishing-dependent businesses impacted by the Gulf of Mexico oil catastrophe. The industry also recommended that the administration develop a long-term compensation plan for these businesses to cover losses for the duration of the economic impact resulting from the current crisis.
A post-Memorial Day survey of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida recreational fishing-dependent business owners, conducted by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), found that over 85 percent of the owners surveyed won’t survive the oil leak disaster’s fallout without immediate financial assistance.
“Our dealers and all of the recreational fishing businesses in coastal Louisiana and Mississippi are experiencing a devastating financial period that shows no sign of easing in the immediate future,” said Dave Pfeiffer, president of Shimano American Corporation. “Retailers in Alabama and Florida are also reporting a serious downturn in business. If the government could move quickly to help Wall Street, they should be able to apply the same agility to help these businesses in the Gulf coast region.”
As noted in the letter to the President, “some of these family-owned businesses along with their employees are now facing the tragic reality that without sufficient emergency financial assistance the loss of revenue due to the oil leak will force them to go out of business before the end of June. While the longer term impacts of the oil on water quality and sportfish species remain uncertain, we maintain that businesses should not be forced to close prematurely due to this unprecedented disaster, which are compound by the effects of recent hurricanes.”
Recreational fishing supports over 300,000 jobs in the Gulf coast region with an annual economic impact of $41 billion. A recent study commissioned by the American Sportfishing Association determined that, should the worst case scenario occur and the entire Gulf of Mexico closed to recreational fishing, there will be a $8.6 million dollar loss in recreational fishing trip expenditures (i.e., purchases of bait and tackle, food and beverages, ice, gas, lodging and other items needed for recreational fishing) per day. If the oil spill were to generate closures that impact the Florida Keys and the east coast of Florida, losses increase by $1.2 million per day in revenue.
“Industry leaders see what’s happening in the Gulf of Mexico,” said ASA Chairman of the Board Jeff Pontius, president of ZEBCO Brands. “As noted in our letter to President Obama, the economic ripple effect from the Gulf oil leak may do serious harm to the national fishing tackle industry in the coming months including manufacturers, sales agencies, distributors and others and this should be taken into account when long-term compensation plans are developed.”
In response to a request by Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), on June 2, 2010, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke added Florida to the May 24, Gulf of Mexico fishery disaster declaration due to the economic impact on recreational and commercial fisheries. The June 2 announcement adds Florida to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Upon a fisheries disaster declaration, Congress must appropriate funds for the affected communities.
On May 27, the Senate approved its 2010 Supplemental Appropriations bill which included an amendment submitted by Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), ranking member of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, that provides $15 million for fishery-dependent businesses harmed by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil leak. ASA urges the House of Representatives to follow suit and ensure that recreational fishing-dependent businesses are included in its 2010 Supplemental Appropriations bill.
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 represents the interests of America’s 60 million anglers who generate over $45 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for over one million people.By: Mary Jane Williamson, Dir Communications
