 |
 |
|
|
||
|
Youth Education Report
by Greg Kucharewski
(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association June 2005 Newsletter)
ABSECON KIDS BLUEFISH TOURNAMENT
The membership of the Absecon Saltwater Sportsmen held another successful youth fishing event for children under sixteen years old on Saturday, May 14, 2005. This is the sixth year they provided a bluefish tournament for children. The participants had refreshments and prizes as part of the celebration. Great job, guys!
JUNIOR MATE TRAINING
The Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association (BHCFA) will be running a Junior Mate Training Program this year. The program will start in the 3rd week of June and run through the end of the summer. Lindsay Fuller met with the U.S. Coast Guard Manager of their Drug & Alcohol Programs in DC and he suggested the Junior Mates have a pre-employment drug test. That task would be more work for BHCFA, but it would get the message across. This year they will break the students into two groups, the entry-level students and the students that are starting to prove themselves. BHCFA plans to have the older and more experienced students help the novice students. A retired Marine Police Officer who is qualified with the State will provide the NJ Boating Course free for all Junior Mates whether they have been through that program or not. That dramatically expands our curriculum. The normal rigging, fish cleaning, tackle and boat maintenance will still be taught. For more information phone, Lindsay Fuller 856-778-0200 x15
STAFFORD TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT
On Thursday, May 11 & 12, 2005, the Stafford Township middle school had their second annual “Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs” event. The JCAA Youth Education Committee assisted at the fishing station and reinforced the Future Fisherman Foundation’s “Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs” pledge with students that participated at Manahawkin Lake. Promoters of the event did a great job of coordinating the stations for over 340+ fifth grade students. The JCAA Youth Education Committee supported the event by providing loaner fishing rods/reels and “Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs” materials.
NATIONAL FISHING AND BOATING WEEK 2005
Get ready for a week on the water! National Fishing and Boating Week is June 4-12, 2005. You can be part of this annual national effort by hosting or sponsoring an official National Fishing and Boating Week event. It’s a great way to promote the joys of boating and fishing to people across the country and to turn your passion for the water into a promise for the future. Visit http://www.nationalfishingandboatingweek.org/ for event ideas, planning materials and to register your event. With the help of the Passport to Fishing and Boating Program you can even recruit volunteers that have never been fishing or boating before to help you with your event. Passport is a hands-on, interactive program designed to teach families the basic skills needed to begin fishing and boating. Materials include color posters, scripts detailing what to say and do, activity cards, a boat mat layout, and other teaching tools. To download Passport materials free of charge or to order a Passport Materials Kit go to www.NationalFishingandBoatingWeek.org/Passport. And remember to register your NFBW events online. Even if you don't have full details yet, you can benefit from the free publicity being generated by our national media campaign. All you need is an event name, date, state, and contact person, and you can update event details as your event planning progresses. Don't miss out on this free promotional opportunity for your event! To receive an Event Planning kit or for more information regarding NFBW, contact Anne Minor at aminor@rbff.org or (703) 519-0013 ext 108. Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, 601 N Fairfax St, Suite 140,Alexandria, VA 22314,(703) 519-0013
FUN FISHING DAY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife will stock fish for more than 100 fishing derbies this season. Volunteers are needed to be the Division's ambassadors at these fun events held throughout the state. Derbies are a great opportunity to introduce fishing to newcomers and to provide support for families to get started in the sport of fishing. Derbies are run by a variety of civic and municipal organizations, and typically last a few hours. As a derby volunteer, your role would be to: Introduce yourself to derby organizers to see if they needed specific help with anything; Help kids who need assistance with tying hooks on, baiting hooks, releasing fish and taking measurements; Talk to parents and kids about fishing, where the fish come from, the role of the Division in stocking fish and enforcing laws; and help award prizes to the winning derby entrants if the sponsors are ok with it. Your role is very informal, but also very important. We hope that you not only interact with people, but also provide some feedback to the Division about the event. With more than 100 events this season, we will not be able to get to every one, though all will be stocked with fish from the Hackettstown Hatchery. If you would like to volunteer to be a derby ambassador, please contact Ron Jacobsen or Craig Lemon at the Hackettstown Hatchery (908) 852-4950. See the following link for the derby schedule and to pick an event or events that you'd like to attend. http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/2005/derbies05.pdf
ESSAY CONTEST/BOAT TRIP
The Absecon Saltwater Sportsmen are running their third annual “Kids Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs” Middle Schools essay contest. This year’s essay is entitled, “How the inlets, bays, estuaries, and tidal rivers of the Great Egg Harbor Watershed affect and impact our lives.” They invited 32 Middle Schools encompassing 3500 7th and 8th grade students to participate and plan to select thirty students and treat them to a day-long eco-system field trip aboard the charter pontoon boat, The Duke of Fluke, based in Somers Point, NJ. This Coast Guard regulated and inspected vessel is owned and operated by Captain Brooke Koeneke with his crew. This trip includes an observation tour to identify marine mammals, migratory waterfowl, and residential birds of prey located in the estuary. They also conduct two seine net operations in the inlet to collect, identify, and categorize marine sea life such as fish, shell fish, and plant life to determine the health of the local fish population as well as the water quality of the local estuaries. This year’s study will be very important considering the unfortunate oil spill in the Delaware River. The information will be forwarded to the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council. This is their second year of conducting this trip which includes area Middle School science teachers, County Park Environmentalist Greg Vizzi, and certified “Kids Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs” members of their club. The Absecon Saltwater Sportsmen will provide everything necessary for the day’s trip including shirts, hats, a full lunch and refreshments, bait and tackle, instructors, and, most importantly, the hands-on activities that connects students with the environment in which we live. For more information contact Larry Carlson; Certified Coordinator “Kids Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs” 922 First Street, Northfield, N.J. 08225, Ph: 609 646-7173
SAFE BOATING FOR NFBW
During National Fishing and Boating Week, members of the JCAA Youth Education Committee and NJ Chapter 12 Vietnam Veterans will present a fishing fun day for children attending the Fort Monmouth School Age Services program. Activities for the day will include “Take Me Fishing” Fish Identification Flash Cards, Boat Safety, HOFNOD and a variety of tackle demonstrations. Children will learn about National Fishing and Boating Week and how to take advantage of the many fishing and boating opportunities in Monmouth and Ocean County.
FREE FISHING DAYS IN NEW JERSEY
Free Fishing Days in New Jersey are Saturday & Sunday, June 11 & 12, 2005. Residents and non-residents may fish the public waters of New Jersey without a license or trout stamp. All other regulations apply. Last year, the J.C.A.A. Youth Education Committee coordinated fishing and aquatic education programs for the weeklong celebration of National Fishing Week. This year we will be working with disadvantaged students in Monmouth County. Member clubs that wish to conduct a National Fishing Week program can phone the JCAA office and NFW support material will be available. Call early as supplies are limited. Please record your event and let the JCAA Youth Education Committee know how many National Fishing Week participants supported your program.
SAFE BOATING AND FISHING
The Jersey Coast Anglers Association’s Youth Education Committee will host a Safe Boating and Fishing clinic at the Fort Monmouth School Age Service Center on June 8th, 2005. Two other National Fishing Week events will take place in Monmouth County, NJ for disadvantaged children that are living in temporary housing. Children will learn about saltwater fishing opportunities in Ocean and Monmouth County.
All children that participated in National Fishing Week events will receive a NF&BW Certificate of Accomplishment.
NEW FISHING GUIDE
Dr. Eleanor Bochenek, Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory Fishery Scientist is in the final stages of completing her new marine fishing guide. The guide will emphasize marine recreational fishing and include fish biology; fish habitat; various types of rods/reels, casting methods, knot tying, bait and lures, angler ethics; and catching, releasing and handling of fish (including tag and release). The previous publication has been successfully used by the Jersey Coast Anglers Association Youth Education Committee, fishing clubs, schools and other organizations in New Jersey and other states and is no longer in print.