According to a recent piece in Angling Trade, American Fly Fishing Trade Associaton (AFFTA) is currently polling its members to “gauge interest in having the International Fly Tackle Dealer trade show branch off apart from the ICAST trade show.” Please note that the ICAST show is owned and operated by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA).
One of the arguments in favor of making a change is that the July timing of the ICAST show makes it challenging for fly fishing retailers to travel to the show during their peak season.
Taking a page from the current news about Outdoor Retailer in Utah. An additional argument in favor of a change would be to send a message to Florida state officials that we won’t spend our dollars in the Sunshine State until a plan to restore the flow of water south to the Everglades is implemented.
Given that ICAST’s owner, the American Sportfishing Association’s track record on marine conservation issues is suspect at best, you could also make the case that AFFTA could also find a better trade association partner. Mike Nussman, the President of ASA, also serves on the Board of Directors of the Center for Sportfishing Policy. That’s the same group that gave public land transfer champion Congressman Rob Bishop their “Conservationist of the Year Award.”
This recent piece by Charles Witek will give you a further taste on how the ASA operates.
Considering all the major changes that are also happening to the Outdoor Retailer tradeshow calendar, perhaps it’s time to reconsider a more formal alliance with the Outdoor Industry Association?
