February 12, 2013 – Fly fishing by the numbers – Rob Southwick is a friend of mine. We go back so far that each of us remembers when the other had hair. He’s also a really smart guy. So I was happy to see him when I was in Reno recently for the International Fly Tackle Dealers meeting. A long time ago, I figured out that I learned something important pretty much every time I talked with Rob. So I paid particular attention when he presented the results of a survey of fishing retailers done by his outfit, Southwick Associates, Inc. And this time proved to be no exception. Here are a few of the high points:
News & Events
Mule Deer Foundation Invests to Benefit California’s Mule Deer, Sage Grouse and Other Wildlife
January 29,2013 – Mule Deer Foundation Invests to Benefit California’s Mule Deer, Sage Grouse and Other Wildlife – The Mule Deer Foundation donated 11,600 pounds of Sage Brush seed valued at $253,000 to reseed important California wildlife habitat destroyed by fire.
A desperate try to restock the Potomac’s sturgeon
By Darryl Fears, Published: January 27 Article courtesy of:  The Washington Post Believe it or not, there’s a Chesapeake Bay fish in even worse shape than the recovering striped…
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Sportsmen’s Economic Impact Report Shows Increase in Hunting and Fishing Participation, Expenditures
January 29, 2013 – Sportsmen’s Economic Impact Report Shows Increase in Hunting and Fishing Participation, Expenditures – National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) released two new reports today documenting the importance of sportsmen’s activities in America. NSSF’s Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservation and CSF’s America’s Sporting Heritage, Fueling the American Economy reports provide detailed information about participation and expenditures by American sportsmen and women. The reports were released to the country’s top outdoor writers and industry professionals during the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) in Las Vegas.
New Report Highlights Recreational Fishing’s Broad Economic and Conservation Impact
January 10, 2013 – New Report Highlights Recreational Fishing’s Broad Economic and Conservation Impact – Recreational fishing is more than just a pleasant getaway for millions of Americans. As an industry, it provides a living for countless people in businesses ranging from fishing tackle and boating manufacturing to travel and hospitality to publications, magazines and much more. As reported in Sportfishing in America: An Economic Force for Conservation, a new fishing statistics report produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the trade association that represents the sportfishing industry, the number of anglers increased 11 percent over the past five years and fishing tackle sales grew more than 16 percent. When expenditures are multiplied by our nation’s 60 million anglers, their dollars have a significant impact on our nation’s economy.
Give Your Business a Competitive Edge in 2013: Meet with Southwick Associates at the SHOT Show Jan. 15-18
January 7, 2013 – Give Your Business a Competitive Edge in 2013 – Businesses require good instincts to help their companies survive. To remain truly competitive, smart businesses need accurate market and customer information. To get that critical data, more outdoor companies and agencies turn to Southwick Associates, the outdoor industry’s leading provider of hunting and shooting market statistics and customer insights. Southwick Associates now has new services available to boost your profitability.
Trout Unlimited Issues Statement on Genetically Engineered Salmon
January 3, 2013 — Trout Unlimited is concerned that the Food and Drug Administration’s ‘finding of no significant impact’ is a premature ‘green light’ for the eventual production of genetically engineered salmon for human consumption.
Online Sporting License Sales Grow
January 3, 2013 – Online Sporting License Sales Grow – In this modern age of digital merchandising and convenient shopping on the web, an growing number of sportsmen are purchasing their licenses online. According to HunterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com, in 2012, the number of hunters and anglers purchasing licenses through a state agency or third-party website grew by 35 percent and 13 percent respectively since 2009. Today, 28 percent of all hunters and 29 percent of all anglers surveyed report buying licenses online.
“Made in U.S.A.” Makes a Difference to Sportsmen, but Price Still a Big Factor
December 5, 2012 – “Made in U.S.A.” Makes a Difference to Sportsmen, but Price Still a Big Factor – When HunterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com sought to determine how much weight the “Made in U.S.A.” tag carried with sportsmen when making purchases of outdoor equipment, they found most respondents agreed that U.S.-made products were of better quality and it was important to buy them. They also discovered there is only but so much most hunters and anglers are willing to pay for that label.
Bald Eagles, Hunter’s Journey and Sea Ducks in New Hampshire Wildlife Journal
December 4, 2012–After an absence of nearly half a century, bald eagles are breeding once again – in a big way –on the Connecticut River in New Hampshire and Vermont. Read all about the remarkable recovery of these regal predators in the current issue (November-December 2012) of New Hampshire Wildlife Journal, the state’s only magazine dedicated to fish and wildlife conservation and recreation.