The Division of Freshwater Fisheries is working proactively to develop business partners who will help ensure conservation of Florida's fisheries and aquatic habitat.  As part of that effort, we offer a variety of sponsorship, promotional and advertising opportunities. If you would like to have an opportunity to work with the state to conserve these resources and market directly to this huge focused audience, contact Bob Wattendorf, the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Marketing contact.  You may request a brochure that provides examples of some of these opportunities, or obtain a PDF version on line.

One of the most outstanding opportunities at the moment is sponsorship of the "Big Catch" Angler Recognition Program.  This program provides free certificates to anglers making outstanding catches based on length-or-weight to encourage catch-and-release, to spread fishing enjoyment out over 33 different Florida freshwater sport fishes.  A separate youth category, as well as specialist, master and elite angler certificates are available.  To become the new branded sponsor, requires a $5,000/year agreement for a five-year period, which covers the cost of reprinting posters, counter cards, a full page ad in our regulation summaries (600,000 copies annually) and placement of your logo on certificates and in thank you letters, as well as on our web site.  A sponsor wishing to immediately replace all of the pre-sponsored items (by eAngler) would need to contribute an additional upfront fee of $25,000, for which we'd also reprint the Big Catch rulers and application forms.

In 2001, the US Census Bureau did a "National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Related Recreation" to determine the amount of participation and economic impact of these outdoor activities nationwide.  The study was conducted under a grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service based on statistically valid random samplings of individuals 16 years of age and older.  It is the benchmark for this type economic analysis and allows for valid state comparisons.  Southwick Associates further refined this data to provide details of freshwater angling impacts, which are reported on the American Sportfishing Association web site.  The following results are highlights from this research.  The actual  2001 National Survey by the USFWS (PDF)  is available, which clearly shows Florida is the number one fishing destination and deserves the title of Fishing Capital of the World.  A Florida Summary by USFWS (PDF) with additional details regarding freshwater fishing is available as well.

Freshwater fishing in Florida:

·         Generated $1.057 billion in retail sales,

·         Produced an economic impact of $1.962 billion,

·         Yielded 14.499 million trips (13,797 million resident [95%], and 0.702 million non-resident),

·         Provided 20.840 million days of angling enjoyment (19.221 million resident [92%], and 1.618 million non-resident)

·         Involved 1.316 million anglers (1.079 million resident [82%], and 0.237 million non-resident), and

·         Sustained 19,519 jobs that paid $484,394,984 in salaries and generated $78,068,685 in Federal income tax.

·         Freshwater anglers focused more on ponds and lentic waters (65%) than on rivers and lotic waters (35%).

·         Freshwater anglers spent 12.215 million days fishing for bass; 6.490 million days for panfish (e.g., bluegill, redear, redbreast); 6.256 million days for catfish and bullheads; 5.858 million days for crappie;  5.585 million days fishing for “anything”;  4.112 million days fishing for “other”, and 3.421 million days fishing days fishing for Morones (e.g., striped bass, sunshine bass, white bass).  [Note: multiple responses allowed, so total does not compute accurately]

·         Based on the survey done in 1996 (numbers will be updated with 2001 information when the details are available, but for now figures in brackets represent inflation adjustments as of January 2003) an average angler spent $18.20 [$20.54] per hour fishing (high was for non-resident bass anglers at $43.89 [49.54] and low was for resident canepole fishermen at $5.94 [6.70] per hour). 

 Overall fishing (saltwater and freshwater, resident and non-resident) in Florida ranked number one in most categories.  The top five states are listed here further justifying Florida’s status as “The Fishing Capital of the World”: 

Since 1991 overall anglers in Florida have increased 16%, Days spent fishing in state increased 28%, and fishing trip related expenditures in Florida increased 34%.

As anyone can conclude, the growth of recreational fishing over the past several decades has given this popular activity a clearly defined position in the social and economic fabric of every state in the nation. Florida, with it's $6,057,317,747 total fisheries economic output in 1996 ranked third among the 50 states. California ($7,127,585,206) and Texas ($6,366,580,439) edged Florida out for the one-two spots. However, we now (as of 2001) have taken over the national leadership role, because of drastic increases of fresh and saltwater fisheries resources due to passage of common-sense laws, rules and regulations, in addition to the energetic and effective efforts of Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which continues to emphasize far-reaching statewide habitat restoration initiatives. In 1971, the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (one of the antecedents of the FWC) pioneered the lake drawdown technology, with a very successful effort in Lake Kissimmee to overcome the depravation of years of stabilized water levels. Smokie Holcomb and Bucky Wegener were the original innovators of this technology, which remains at the heart of most major lake restoration efforts today.  Ed Moyer, the current Division Director, trained under those biologists and expanded on their work by developing strong partnerships with other agencies, such as the water management districts, US Corps of Engineers, Department of Environmental Protection and the Legislature to fund and coordinate ever more extensive restoration programs.

Not only has Florida regained its "Bass Capital of the World" title, resident and non-resident fishing license sales, which had been relatively "flat" everywhere for more than a decade, began showing a modest upturn in Florida during 1999, according to the FWC's Director of the Freshwater Fisheries Division, Ed Moyer. He remains cautiously optimistic that license sales, which fund the vast majority of division efforts, will gradually increase again as a result of improved fishing and public recognition of the need to purchase licenses not only to be legal but also to help to continue improving the health of fisheries and aquatic resources.  The agency is now ready to proclaim in concert with Florida USA (the privatized state tourism group), local chambers of commerce, the Florida Sports Promotion Council and others that Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World.

Will Florida ever hit an annual $10-Billion fishing economic impact figure? Don't dismiss this thought. What's more, it may happen much sooner than later as fishing fraternity members throughout the world conclude that Florida affords them the best opportunity to catch the fresh or saltwater trophy they've been dreaming about, and as residents begin taking their families out fishing once again as a way of re-establishing family values and providing relaxing quality time together.

With three million acres of lakes and ponds, 12,000 miles of rivers and streams, a populace  of 15 million and 85 million tourists annually, plus a year-round growing season and native fishes such as the Florida largemouth bass, Florida is the ideal environment in which to promote recreational freshwater fishing.  We over business sponsors a variety of special promotional opportunities that we would like to discuss with you.  A sampling of these is included in our brochure, "Freshwater Fisheries -- High Impact Promotional Opportunities" (Available online as a PDF File)

The Florida Bass Conservation Center is another superb effort on the part of the FWC to ensure the future of  Florida black bass and to protect these unique fishes while ensuring quality fishing opportunities and economic benefits.  To learn more and to see if you want to join the current sponsors, click here.

For details, contact:

Bob Wattendorf
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600

Phone: (850) 488-0520
Fax: (850) 413-0381
Email: bob.wattendorf@MyFWC.com