Arizona Game and Fish Department partners with Anglers’ Legacy

ALEXANDRIA, VA (April 2, 2008) – The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) today announced a new partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department to promote the Anglers’ Legacy program.

The department collected Anglers’ Legacy pledges at the Arizona Game and Fish Department 2008 Outdoor Exposition held March 29 and 30 in Phoenix. The department will also promote the program, which helps generate funds for boating, fishing and conservation, throughout the year on its Web site.

During the successful outdoor expo, anglers were encouraged to “Take the Pledge,” http://www.anglerslegacy.org/takethepledge a promise to introduce a newcomer to boating and fishing, and received a trophy fish poster for signing up.

“We’re thrilled that our Anglers’ Legacy message was carried at the Outdoor Expo in Phoenix,” said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. “Our mission is to increase participation in recreational boating and fishing. We know that fewer people are participating in these activities and that means fewer dollars for conservation. We look forward to signing up even more boaters and anglers in Arizona to the program.”

Kirk Young, the fisheries chief for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, said, “We are excited about our partnership with the Anglers’ Legacy program. The department is always looking at new and innovative ways to foster angler recruitment and retention, and this program is made to order.”

During the outdoor exposition in Phoenix, More than 26,000 attendees enjoyed activities, demonstrations and exhibits in the areas of hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, archery, off-highway vehicle (OHV) and watercraft recreation, conservation and wildlife education, camping and other outdoor elements.

Anglers’ Legacy, which was launched in May 2006, encourages avid anglers to share their passion for boating and fishing and to visit AnglersLegacy.org, where they’re asked to “Take the Pledge” – promising to take at least one new person fishing each year.

To date, the program has collected more than 40,000 pledges, which according to an RBFF survey (http://www.rbff.org/page.cfm?PageID=5&TID=11&CID=23&NID=165) of participants conducted in 2007, means it may have already generated $4.8 million for the fishing industry, $6.6 million for the boating industry and the sale of more than 84,000 new fishing licenses.

RBFF is a nonprofit organization established in 1998 to increase participation in recreational angling and boating. RBFF helps people discover, share and protect the legacy of boating and fishing through national outreach programs including the Take Me Fishing campaign and Anglers’ Legacy.