CHICAGO, Ill.--- "I would have walked to Chicago to have this opportunity to talk about the importance of fisheries and fisheries habitat," said Jamie Rappaport Clark, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Clark emphasized her agency's commitment to recreational angling Thursday, during BASS Masters Classic Week here.
"You've helped keep America's waters alive with healthy sport fish," Clark added, in speaking to an audience of several hundred that included grassroots leaders of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS), as well as state fisheries chiefs from across the country.
"Anglers are some of the most avid, passionate conservationists in the world, especially bass anglers. It's only fitting that you come together every year to celebrate your accomplishments."
With membership of more than 600,000, BASS is the world's largest fishing organization, and its annual Classic, featuring the nation's best bass fishermen, is considered the World Series of bass fishing.
Clark reminded attendees at the session in the Congress Plaza Hotel that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Sport Fishing Restoration Fund, also known as Wallop-Breaux (W-B). Over the years, she said, W-B has used excise taxes levied on fishing tackle to provide $4 billion to state fish and wildlife agencies for fisheries management.
"In just the past 10 years, the fund has paid to stock 3,8 billion fish and educate 4.7 million students in aquatic education, as well as helped build 1,700 boating accesses and 3,700 fishing access areas. It is one of the most successful user-pays, user-benefits programs ever," she said. "It ignites the power of those who fish."
Clark acknowledged that her agency deserves some of the criticism it has receiving during the past year for "sloppy bookkeeping" related to W-B. "But the situation is not as bad as some would have you believe," she said. "Some of the allegations are way overblown."
Poor practices for record keeping magnified over the years, she explained. "I take full responsibility for them and am committed to fixing them on my watch."
The director also praised the Fishable Waters Act (FWA), now being considered by Congress. "It is full of exciting possibilities," she said. "It encourages watershed restoration from the ground up.
"The Fishable Waters Coalition deserves a tremendous amount of praise."
BASS is a member of the coalition, along with the American Sportfishing Association, Trout Unlimited, American Rivers, the Izaak Walton League, the American Corn Growers Association, and several other fisheries, conservation, and agricultural organizations.
BASS's three-day tournament began Thursday and will continue through Saturday, with weigh-ins at historic Soldier Field.