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BASS News Elias and Dotson Win Anglers and Artists BASS Tournament Sept. 12, 2005 BASS TAKES LEADERSHIP ROLE IN NOAA Open Rivers Initiative: Dam Removal Funding Could Provide Major Fishery Benefits CELEBRATION, Fla. - BASS/ESPN Outdoors and the American Sportfishing Association will lead a coalition to support a new grant program called the Open Rivers Initiative, which is designed to provide funding to communities for removal of obsolete and derelict stream barriers such as dams. Conservation director Noreen Clough will represent BASS and Gordon Robertson, vice president of the American Sportfishing Association, is representing the nonprofit organization. The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the exciting new initiative Aug. 31 at the White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation in St. Louis, Mo. There are currently more than 2 million small dams and other barriers blocking fish passage in the United States. Removing obsolete low head dams and other blockages has thus far opened hundreds of miles of vitally important habitat to fish that rely on migrating through rivers to spawn. Dam removal also has boosted local economies by dramatically improving recreational fishing opportunities. By coming forth with a new funding source to remove more dams and barriers, NOAA has responded to one of the more important fisheries management problems in the United States. “The Open Rivers Initiative can make a much-needed contribution to our nation’s overall aquatic health,” Clough said. “Old dams not only block fish passage and prevent spawning, they greatly diminish the amount of good habitat rivers could be providing for a variety of fish species. Recreational anglers around the country have seen the dramatic turn around fish populations have made after dam removals.” Clough and Robertson will head a coalition that includes BASS, the American Sportfishing Association, the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the Berkley Conservation Institute and Trout Unlimited, under the umbrella of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, which brings leading conservation organizations and grassroots partners together in support of conserving fish and wildlife and their habitats, and ensuring access to places to fish and hunt. BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years. BASS stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates with the CITGO Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry's widest array of services and support to its nearly 550,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla. For complete details, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit www.bassmaster.com. For more about the TRCP and its partner organizations visit www.trcp.org BASS
unveils Women's Bassmaster Tour BASS
Communications — June 28, 2005 "We believe that the Women's Bassmaster Tour will provide a superior outlet for the many women anglers who dream of fishing competitively," said Don Rucks, general manager of BASS. "As we continue to encourage women anglers in our other events, the WBT represents an important step in our efforts to grow the sport of bass fishing." There are 34.1 million anglers in America and approximately 26 percent are women, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Additionally, of the 28.4 million freshwater anglers in America, 26 percent are women. ESPN and BASS are dedicated to serving this market and seek to proactively grow it. "ESPN is a leader in the women's sports arena," said Christine Godleski, vice president and general manager of ESPN Outdoors. "Today, we are bringing the BASS standards and prestige to women's bass fishing to grow the sport. ESPN proudly continues to enhance our leadership and commitment to women's sports." WBT events will coincide with the dates and locations of five of next year's CITGO Bassmaster Tour events. The two tours will fish separate but nearby waters. Final round weigh-ins on the WBT will be held on the same stage as Bassmaster Tour events. Like the Bassmaster Tour, the WBT will feature a pro-am format. Anglers will be randomly paired and boaters will compete against boaters while non-boaters will compete against non-boaters. WBT events will span three days — Thursdays through Saturdays. The full field will fish during the first two rounds of competition. After Day Two, the field will be cut to the top six anglers. In 2007, the inaugural Women's Bassmaster Championship will be held at the same time and in the same general location as the CITGO Bassmaster Classic. Competitors from both circuits will fish different waters following a format similar to regular Tour events. A total of 12 anglers will qualify for the Women's Bassmaster Championship based on their Tour performance. As an added bonus, the Women's Bassmaster Championship weigh-ins will take place at the same venue as those for the Bassmaster Classic. More details, including tournament locations and prize structure for the preview event and the 2006 Tour schedule, will be revealed at a news conference during CITGO Bassmaster Classic week this summer in Pittsburgh, Pa. |
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