Ramsey Sullivan
news@greenepublishing.com
National Fishing and Boating Week, which officially became a holiday in 2002, takes place for nine days, from Tuesday, June 9 until Tuesday, June 16, 2020.
In 2002, George W. Bush declared National Fishing and Boating Week a national holiday, even though it has been observed unofficially for decades. This week was initiated by Take Me Fishing, a branch of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) to encourage seasoned anglers to share their love and knowledge of fishing with younger anglers and increase participation in recreational fishing and boating.
To celebrate this holiday, many states offer free public fishing during this week, including Florida. In Florida, June 6 and 7 are free for saltwater fishing and June 13 and 14 are free for freshwater fishing, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). These days are meant for avid fishermen to introduce fishing to their friends and family who do not yet have their license. The fishing license requirement is waived for both residents and non-residents of the state of Florida.
Participating in National Fishing and Boating Week helps fund conservation efforts for national waterways. When fishing tackle or a license is purchased, a portion of the sales goes to the preservation of our nation's waterways through the Sport Fish Restoration Program. This program provides grant funds to the states and fish and wildlife agencies to restore and manage declining fisheries, according to the FWC.
Fishing and boating offers many benefits, other than just helping with conservation efforts. According to a survey of 1,000 American households conducted by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the most popular boating activities include relaxing with family and friends (40 percent) and fishing (33 percent).
"We know that 90 percent of Americans live less than an hour from a navigable body of water, making the boating lifestyle accessible to most people across the country," says Amy Murray, director of Discovery Boating programs for the NMMA. As a result of this statistic, more than 70 million Americans participate in boating each year.
In addition to the conservation and health benefits, fishing and boating also contribute an estimated $170.3 billion to the U.S. economy, including output generated by marine manufacturers, their suppliers, dealers and retailers; services such as repairs; and marinas, boating trips and business tax revenue. Combined activity supports an estimated 35,000 marine businesses and 691,000 direct and indirect American jobs, according to NMMA reports. Florida is currently ranked number one for recreational boating economic activity, bringing in $23.3 billion, followed by California, bringing in $13 billion.
Current social distancing orders in Florida could cause less people to participate in National Fishing and Boating Week. According to the FWC, those planning to take part in fishing this week should check the open/close status of the area they plan to visit prior to visiting. Anglers are also reminded to engage in social distancing, staying in groups of less than 10 people and at least six feet from other boaters.