News : Current New Release
Wildlife Forever Joins "Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!" Campaign
March 16, 2006 -- Wildlife Forever, a national multi-species conservation organization, has teamed up with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANS) to raise public awareness about the threat of aquatic invasive species through the "Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! program.
As the conservation arm of the North American Fishing Club, Wildlife Forever brings a proven track record of engaging America’s anglers and boaters in grassroots conservation. Wildlife Forever is joining the ANS campaign to educate a broad audience about a silent threat to America’s great outdoors, the spread of aquatic invasive species.
“To many Americans, angling is more than a pastime, it’s a passion, a way of life,” said Douglas H. Grann, President & CEO of Wildlife Forever. “Educating the sport angling community about the necessity of combating aquatic nuisance species is part of Wildlife Forever’s mission of conserving America’s outdoor heritage for future generations.”
Anglers and boaters can unknowingly spread invasive aquatic species that damage lakes, streams and fisheries. Eurasian watermilfoil, Spiney waterflea, Rusty crayfish and Zebra mussels are a few examples of ‘aquatic hitchhikers’ spread by recreational equipment such as boats, trailers and waders.
Wildlife Forever and partners including US Forest Service, Region 9 and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources have promoted the importance of cleaning and inspecting all recreational equipment with print Public Service Announcements (PSAs), airport light-box displays and highway billboards to over 60 million Americans in the Northwoods Lake Country and Upper Mississippi River Basin. Future plans include building from this success and expanding outreach with television PSAs and other initiatives to raise awareness among Americans nationwide.
“It is critical for anglers and boaters to understand the key role they play,” said Grann. “We must all realize that the fishing hole we save could be our own. Wildlife Forever is committed to utilizing a highly visual, multi-media approach to spread the ‘Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!’ message.”
Wildlife Forever is the latest organization to join a cooperative campaign that unites federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations and private businesses in a common goal. As the primary funding agency for the campaign, the Fish and Wildlife Service works to promote “Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!” and tap into the communication networks of its partner organizations.
According to Mamie Parker, Assistant Director for Fisheries and Habitat Conservation and Co-Chair of the ANS Task Force, "Wildlife Forever is a fantastic partner for the Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! campaign. Their involvement shows we are truly getting some traction with our traditional constituents. We hope to attract other traditional partners and educate all aquatic recreational users about how they can prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species."
To learn more about Wildlife Forever, go to this "website" and check out the attached PDF advertisement that they developed using the campaign materials.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 542 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. To learn more about the Service, go to this website.
Related Download: 1142440735WF_INVASIVES_Ad.pdf
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