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The B.A.S.S. Conservation Mission statement
For more than 40 years, B.A.S.S. and the grassroots
B.A.S.S. Federation
Nation have remained focused on issues related to fisheries and
aquatic
resource conservation. The B.A.S.S. Conservation Program is a driving
force behind progressive, positive change on critical
water resource and
access issues - Fisheries Management, Habitat, Aquatic Nuisance
Species, Aquatic Vegetation Management, Angler Access and Tournament
Fish Care.
B.A.S.S. is more than tournaments, a magazine and a membership
- it's
decades of demonstrated natural resource conservation efforts.
B.A.S.S.
Conservation works with government agencies to develop sound management
policies that protect and enhance aquatic resources. We partner
with the
industry and conservation community to ensure that government policies
provide for these resources without compromising portfishing
opportunities. B.A.S.S. Federation Nation members provide substantial
volunteer efforts to enhance fisheries resources and protect our
sport.
B.A.S.S. is renowned for state-of-the-art tournament fish care
and the
legendary publication "Keeping Bass Alive."
Devoted to challenges that lie ahead, B.A.S.S. Conservation works
on
behalf of it's 500,000 members to ensure the future of fishing
through
conservation.
Florida Black Bass Management Program
We are working together to get the
word out to anglers that
Florida is the Bass Capital of the World. Through programs
such as the Black Bass Management Plan bass fishing will prosper
and supply future generations with the quality fisheries
Florida is known for. learn more.....
Habitat
Simply put, habitat is disappearing at an alarming rate. And without
habitat the future of recreational angling and a vital link to
the aquatic food chain will be lost. The issues are complex: erosion,
sedimentation and reservoir aging. Yet, there is hope and B.A.S.S.
Conservation has taken a leadership role in the federal government's
National Fish Habitat Initiative. At the national level, B.A.S.S.
is proactively involved with federal and state government to enact
laws to end the losses while making room for habitat restoration
and growth. The habitat agenda is pushed up from the local level
through the grass-roots network of B.A.S.S. Federation clubs.
Aquatic nuisance species
An aquarium owner dumps unwanted fish and plants into the local
river, no harm intended. A freighter from overseas pumps ballast
water into the Great Lakes, unknowingly setting free harmful fish
and organisms. Both scenarios are very real and threaten to destroy
or imperil the balance of aquatic ecosystems the size of the Great
Lakes, Mississippi River and beyond. As the problem spreads, B.A.S.S.
Conservation has joined a growing coalition of concerned policy
makers, government agencies and scientists to regulate importation
of exotics and stop their illegal introduction to the nation's
waters.
Aquatic vegetation management
Hydrilla and milfoil are unjustly perceived by many sportsmen
as ideal habitat for fish and waterfowl. In moderate quantities
the plants indeed provide habitat, however when overabundant they
become a nuisance to other water users, from boaters to lakeshore
homeowners and even municipal drinking water suppliers. B.A.S.S.
Conservation advocates and facilitates mediation between all user
groups while encouraging stakeholders to establish diverse native
plant communities. Ideally, striking the balance will benefit ecosystems
and users alike.
Angler access
A fishing trip begins with a place to launch the boat or shoreline
to cast a line. Yet access to public waterways has suffered. And
finding a boat ramp is the least of the problems. Demands on water
supplies, restrictive fishery management regulations on fishing
seasons, and horsepower limitations merely scratch the surface
of why anglers can't rightfully gain access to public waters. Through
a grass-roots approach with bass clubs affiliated with the B.A.S.S.
Federation, angler and boater rights are being heard. The cause
is ongoing, with the Federation and B.A.S.S. Conservation collectively
uniting to open more access areas through improvement and construction
programs at public access areas nationwide.
Fish health
At the first outbreak of the Largemouth Bass Virus, B.A.S.S. Conservation
adopted a leadership role to face the issue. The result is an annual
summit attended by leading researchers, state fishery biologists
and anglers to exchange developments and implement plans of action.
B.A.S.S. and its coalition continue making strides to deal with
LMBV while identifying other diseases or health problems, among
those outbreaks of harmful algae and bacteria that can spark significant
fish kills. B.A.S.S. Conservation is an active participant in American
Fisheries Society committees and other professional associations
whose interests focus on fishery health.
Tournament fish care
Early on, B.A.S.S. recognized that bass are a renewable resource
and concurrently, developed the catch-and-release ethic that is
standard with tournaments. BASS Conservation continues raising
the bar on the practice by supporting scientific research studies
focusing on care of tournament-caught bass. The latest practices
and improvements are rolled out through the B.A.S.S. Federation
while educating anglers about how to better handle fish they intend
to release. B.A.S.S. Conservation extends its outreach to the general
angling public to ensure a positive perception of bass fishing
and tournament angling.
BASS is more
When you join B.A.S.S., you get more than just a magazine and
a membership card. You are supporting over thirty years of natural
resource conservation. Devoted to the challenges that lie ahead,
B.A.S.S. continues to work on behalf of our members and the aquatic
resources we all value.
Partner links
• American Sportfishing Association
• Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation
• Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
• American Fisheries Society
• Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
• Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation |
