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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner John P. Cahill today announced a new program to encourage children to enjoy the lifelong sport of fishing called "My First Fish," which recognizes children for landing their first catch.
"Catching your first fish is always a thrill, especially for a young child," Commissioner Cahill said. "Childhood fishing trips create memories that last a lifetime. We want to encourage children to become interested in fishing because adults who fished as kids are more likely to enjoy outdoor activities and are more committed to taking care of their environment."
Commissioner Cahill, Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings and the beloved comic strip character Snoopy kicked off the program at a press conference today at Albany^s Washington Park Lake. Mayor Jennings said, "Albany is proud to participate in this terrific program for young people that can stimulate in them a lifelong love outdoor recreation and help develop a new generation of Americans committed to a clean environment. We will certainly encourage our young anglers to let Commissioner Cahill know about their first catch."
A recent study of angler attitudes in New York by Cornell University showed their primary concern was achieving and maintaining a clean environment.
Howard O. Cushing, President of New York State Conservation Council, said, "I remember my son^s first fish. He was just a little guy and he caught this big bass. But it was just before the opening of bass season. We talked about it and released the trophy. He got two things that day, a great memory of his first fish and an early lesson in conservation. The lessons took -- he^s a great angler today. The First Fish program is a great way to introduce kids to the joys of fishing and the conservation lessons that it teaches."
As part of this program, DEC will award a certificate to anyone who provides information on the first fish that they catch. The certificates feature characters from the "Peanuts" comic strip, including Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Participation of these characters is provided courtesy of the comic strip^s artist, Charles Shultz, and United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
Children attending today^s press conference received rods and reels featuring Snoopy that were provided courtesy of Zebco, a popular fishing equipment manufacturer.
Although New York State offers some of the finest fishing opportunities in the country, the sport^s popularity has slowly declined in recent years, due largely to an aging population of anglers. The First Fish program is designed to encourage New York^s kids to experience the joys of fishing.
To participate in the "My First Fish" program, anglers (or their parents) should send in their name, address, type of fish caught, length and date to:
My First Fish
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Bureau of Fisheries, Rm 552
50 Wolf Rd.
Albany, NY 12233
Kids who write to the program will receive a certificate commemorating their First Fish, featuring characters from the "Peanuts" comic strip, including Charlie Brown and Snoopy.
"This is an excellent opportunity to get back into fishing, or to try it out for the first time," Commissioner Cahill said. "It^s a great time to pass the fishing tradition on to the next generation."
New York has more than 40 state campgrounds and day use areas with good fishing opportunities throughout the state. Free fishing tackle will be available for loan at some DEC campgrounds this summer.
Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the "Peanuts" comic strip, which first appeared on October 2, 1950 in seven newspapers. Since then, it has become the most widely syndicated comic strip in history, appearing in more than 2,600 newspapers each day in 75 countries reaching over 355 million readers worldwide.
Uploaded: 7/29/1999
Uploaded: 7/29/1999