Conservation

AFFTA Fisheries Fund

KeepEmWet Fishing Awarded Grant

Above An Owyhee brown trout, in the water.

By now, if you’re a regular internet user and a flyfisher and you don’t live under a rock, you’ve certainly heard of the Keepemwet movement, aimed towards educating anglers about the effects of handling fish, and ways we can be better about it, giving a caught-and-released fish the best chance at survival.

Keepemwet Fishing has been awarded the first grant of 2018, which will help them in their campaign to keep fish wet, and anglers in the know on the best practices to do that.

The AFFTA Fisheries Fund, ongoing since 2014, funds organizations and projects with a heavy slant towards conservation and education. The fund is initially seeded through IFTD revenue and is now open to donations from the general public and AFFTA members. To donate and learn more, please visit https://www.affta.org/fisheries-fund/.

Above A beautifully spotted western New York lake run brown trout.

From AFFTA: “Earlier this month AFFTA awarded Keepemwet Fishing with a Fisheries Fund grant in the amount of $2,500 for their continuing work in educating anglers on the proper way to handle and release fish.

“We’re seeing a tremendous shift in angler appreciation of and care for the fish they catch and how they handle them,” says AFFTA president, Ben Bulis. “Social media has definitely forced us to take a closer look at what we might’ve considered ‘normal’ in the past. A new catch-and- release ethos is being adopted, and we’re proud to support Keepemwet Fishing and the significant role they’re playing in fostering that change.

“Keepemwet Fishing is about releasing fish in the best condition possible,” says Sascha Clark Danylchuk, head of Operations at Keepemwet Fishing. “We believe that recreational anglers are a key component of fish conservation, and that science-based approaches can help create healthier fisheries. Our education campaign provides anglers with easy to use principles and tips that help create the best outcomes for fish that are caught-and-released.

“The grants we have received from the AFFTA Fisheries Fund have allowed us to reach a greater audience through our education campaign on the best handling practices for catch-and-release. We couldn’t have done it without the help of AFFTA,” she adds.

“We are so thrilled with the momentum that continues to build behind this education and communication effort,” adds Bryan Huskey, Founder. “From the individual anglers we hear from around the globe, to companies, businesses and organizations far and wide, we appreciate each and every form of support. Tremendous thanks to AFFTA and the Fisheries Fund for this grant. We look forward to the continued success of this effort far into the future.”

Learn more about Keepemwet Fishing at keepemwet.org.

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