Sport Fish Restoration Video

Partnering with the American Sportfishing Association, the American Fly Fishing Trade Association and the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program presents this video which highlights how the partnerships among industry, state fish and wildlife agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service restore and conserve sport fish and increase angling and boating opportunities nationwide. The Sport Fish Restoration Program partnerships are funded by excise taxes on angling equipment and motorboat fuel. This film is a product of the Partner with a PayerSM initiative.

–USFWS

BoatUS Foundation and Berkley Launch Recast & Recycle Contest

The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water and Berkley have teamed up for a year-long Recast and Recycle Contest to seek out new ideas and improvements to fishing line and soft bait recycling, new recycled product ideas, or a technology breakthrough for the current process that will increase the volume of line and soft baits that are recycled. A total of $30,000 in prize money is at stake for any boater, angler, armchair technologist, team, student or anyone willing to submit a contest entry now through May 14, 2021.

“Whether it’s monofilament line, braided line or soft baits, we want there to be a sustainable, large?scale solution to keeping line out of our waters and landfills where it can remain a problem for birds and wildlife,” said BoatUS Foundation Director of Outreach Alanna Keating. “We want to know how to make the process better. There’s no limit on the possibilities, but keep in mind that judges will add weight to contest submissions that actually work, are practical, innovative, and have the potential to have a significant impact. We really don’t know where a breakthrough could materialize.”

The first-place prize is $15,000, second place receives $10,000, and $5,000 will be awarded for third place. Contest submissions can address any part of the process (or multiple parts) of taking fishing gear from end of life to a new life. Professionals, amateurs and students are all encouraged to apply, as are school teams and groups. Contest entries can be submitted with as little as a link to a video demonstration of the idea or one-page graphic summary. Videos are limited to 4 minutes. Read more

Coast Guard Releases National Recreational Boating Safety Survey Results

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard is announcing the release of the National Recreational Boating Safety Survey for 2018. The Survey, which was mailed to over a quarter-million Americans, produced scientific estimates about characteristics of recreational boaters, different types of recreational boats that are owned and operated, boating population sizes, and risk exposure, all in an effort to assist agencies and organizations meet nationwide best boating safety practices and standards.

In 2018, an estimated 84.5 million Americans boated (over 25% of the population) and nearly 14.5 million households (11.9%) owned boats. Of the 25.4 million boats owned, 13.4 million were unregistered, including 7.3 million kayaks, 2.4 million rowed boats, and 2.2 million canoes. All boats, registered and unregistered, were operated for 3.42 billion hours (over 130 hours per boat). Read more

Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund board recommends $37.8 million to boost outdoor recreation

The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board recommended Wednesday to the Michigan Legislature that 76 recreation development projects and land acquisitions totaling $37,789,600 be funded in 2021. The board this year considered a total of 136 applications seeking over $60 million in funding. In a competitive process, all eligible applications were evaluated based on scoring criteria approved by the Trust Fund board.

“Easy access to the beauty of Michigan’s natural places and open spaces during a challenging, uncertain year has been a source of comfort and connection for residents across our state, and the Trust Fund is a major part of making those opportunities available,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “Whether you’re enjoying a trail or park close to home or exploring the deep forest, outdoor recreation resources like these are big contributors to each community’s quality of life and unique appeal.”

The Trust Fund board recommends funding to both state and local agencies for development projects and land acquisitions that will further access to public outdoor recreation.

This year, the board recommended $27,289,600 for acquisition grants and $10,500,000 for development grants. There were 26 acquisition grants awarded to local units of government for a total of $20,805,400, while four acquisition grants went to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for projects totaling $6,484,200. The Trust Fund board also recommended a total of $9,300,000 in 42 development grants be awarded to local units of government while four DNR projects garnered a total of $1,200,000. Read more

DuraSafe Launches Holiday Bundles

NEW BERLIN, WIS. – DuraSafe Locks launches three holiday bundles: one for fishing, hunting and towing. These bundles were designed to streamline the shopping process for gift-givers to be able to hop onto one site, and buy the ultimate package without having to go anywhere else!

“We wanted to offer bundles that streamlined the gift-giving process to an all-in-one deal. No matter which bundle is chosen, each has unique offerings to surprise one another with an outdoors-inspired holiday gift package,” explained Brooke Kangas, DuraSafe’s marketing manager.

For whoever is the outdoors expert in your household, these are the ultimate gift packages for you.

FISHING BUNDLE: includes the E-LOCK®, Bow Mount Lock and Spare Tire Lock with an additional

floatable boat keychain and DuraSafe microfiber towel.

HUNTING BUNDLE: includes the Chain Wheel Lock, Cable Lock and Receiver Lock (5/8 in. diameter) in addition to a pocket knife and DuraSafe microfiber towel.

TOWING AND TRAILERING BUNDLE: includes the Coupler Lock (3 in.), Off Vehicle Coupler Ball Accessory and Receiver Lock (5/8 in. diameter) with a pocket knife, car decal and car air freshener.

These bundles are only available while supplies last! Read more

Ice Hole Insulators from ThermaSeat®

Peterborough, NH – Avoid freezing so you can keep fishing! The Ice Hole Insulator from ThermaSeat sits directly on the surface of your ice fishing hole and contains a slot to insert your tip-up, leaving your fishing uninterrupted!

“I wish would have gotten these earlier! What a huge convenience! They work great! I bought them after barely getting a 37″ pike through my 7″ hand-drilled hole after it froze over on a 0-degree day.”-ThermaSeat® Customer

The Ice Hole Insulators work like magic to keep your ice hole clean without the use of batteries or chemicals. They feature ThermaSeat’s waterproof, quiet Softek™ closed-cell foam insulation that is 12? in diameter and 3/4? thick to fit over a standard ice auger hole without falling in. Read more

Kentucky Lake to host Invasive Carp Removal Evaluations

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Waterfowl hunters, anglers and boaters should anticipate limited access to portions of five bays on Kentucky Lake periodically over the next several weeks as officials evaluate experimental Asian Carp harvest techniques.

The clearing of submerged debris from designated “Asian Carp Harvest Areas” starts Dec. 1 in parts of Smith and Pisgah bays. Similar clearing of harvest areas also will occur in parts of the Sledd Creek, Ledbetter Creek and Vickers embayments.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources will oversee the clearing of debris from the reservoir bottom in a 300-foot by 500-foot section of each bay. A subcontractor working for Murray State University will perform the site preparation work. Read more

Michigan: Friends of Negwegon State Park join #GivingTuesday challenge

Friends of Negwegon State Park join #GivingTuesday challenge

The Friends of Negwegon State Park and the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan are working together to help raise park funds through the Giving Tuesday Northeast Michigan event, set for Dec. 1.

Giving Tuesday is celebrated the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and was created to inspire people to give back, while collaboratively taking action to improve local communities.

This 24-hour online fundraising event will help raise additional dollars for the park’s endowment fund through the community foundation. The endowment fund will help preserve the park now and into the future by leveraging grant dollars used for park projects, including invasive species control, interpretive programming, dark sky events and threatened and rare species research.

To make an online donation, visit CFNEM.org between 12 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, and select Friends of Negwegon. Every penny donated goes directly to the selected charity. Read more

Michigan: share your thoughts with the DNR at upcoming virtual meetings

The Department of Natural Resources is committed to providing Michigan residents the opportunity to share input and ideas on policy decisions, programs and other aspects of natural resource management and outdoor recreation opportunities. One important avenue for this input is at meetings of the public bodies that advise the DNR and, in some cases, also set policies for natural resource management.

With COVID-19 public health and safety in mind, most upcoming meetings have been changed to virtual meetings or conference calls. Frequently check the DNR boards, commissions, committees and councils webpage for updates.

The links below will take you to the webpage for each group, where you will find specific virtual and teleconference meeting information and, when finalized, meeting agendas. Please check these pages frequently, as meeting details and agendas may change and sometimes meetings are canceled.

December meetings

Read more

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