From June 3-11, Keep Florida Fishing® invites anglers to head to the water and celebrate National Fishing and Boating Week, an annual event highlighting the importance of recreational fishing and boating. The celebration coincides with two weekends of license-free fishing days in Florida, taking place on Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4 for saltwater fishing, and Saturday, June 10 and Sunday, June 11 for freshwater fishing. Eight total license-free fishing days are approved by Governor Rick Scott and offered by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) each year.
“National Fishing and Boating Week is a reminder of the significant role that recreational fishing and boating have here in Florida, both culturally and economically. We appreciate Governor Scott and the FWC showing their support of the fishing and boating communities through license-free fishing days,” said Gary Jennings, Director of Keep Florida Fishing.
“With two consecutive weekends of license-free fishing here in Florida, National Fishing and Boating Week is a great time for anglers to share their passion for fishing and boating with friends and loved ones. We hope the week inspires residents and visitors to spend time together while enjoying our natural resources,” said Kellie Ralston, Florida Fishery Policy Director of the American Sportfishing Association.
According to the FWC website, “free fishing days provide an excellent opportunity for parents who don’t yet have licenses to take youth fishing, or avid anglers to introduce a friend to fishing without having to purchase a license. On these days, the fishing license requirement is waived for all recreational anglers (residents and non-residents). All other rules (e.g., seasons, bag and size limits) apply.”
Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), the nation’s largest organization of recreational boat owners, says 59 percent of their members participate in fishing while boating. Florida is the “Fishing Capital of the World,” with more than 3 million anglers who generate $9.6 billion in economic impact, support more than 128,000 jobs and contribute $53.3 million to state conservation efforts through license fees and special taxes on motor boat fuel and equipment. Watch Keep Florida Fishing’s video here, featuring boating industry leaders discussing the importance of recreational fishing in Florida.
About Keep Florida Fishing®
Keep Florida Fishing® is an advocacy arm of the American Sportfishing Association with the goal of ensuring Florida anglers have clean waters, abundant fisheries and access to both. Learn more at www.KeepFloridaFishing.org.