TULSA, Okla. — With at least 85 conservation directors, fish chiefs, speakers, sponsors and guests expected to attend, this year’s biennial Bassmaster Classic Conservation Summit will emphasize improving communications and habitat innovations.
Presentations also will be made on the political landscape of fisheries management and fish care research on March 4 and 5 at Tulsa’s Downtown Doubletree Council Oak Ballroom, according to Gene Gilliland, national conservation director for B.A.S.S.
“We do this every two years, so we try to squeeze as much as we can into the two mornings we have for the meeting,” said Gilliland, who added that winners of various grants and awards also will be announced, including state conservation director of the year.
Attendees will learn “how to craft and deliver the conservation message to a multi-generation audience,” as well as improve communications between conservation directors and state agencies and within the National membership.
Eric Barnes of Brothers & Co. in Tulsa and Tyler Wade, B.A.S.S. social media editor, will be among the speakers. Conservation directors, including Tim Cook (Texas), Dan Kimmel (Michigan), Mickey Goetting (Minnesota) and Joan Blankenship (Virginia), will offer insights into ways to work more effectively with agencies.
Habitat sessions, meanwhile, will focus on success stories and habitat ideas. Bill Frazier (North Carolina), Earl Conway (New Mexico), and Dean Rustic (Connecticut) will provide examples of “thinking outside the box.”
In addition, Dr. Hal Schramm will speak about state-of-the-art fish care. Representatives from the American Sportfishing Association, Keep America Fishing, and Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation will cover politics during a Friday evening reception.
On Sunday, Dan Ash, the director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), will talk about the Sportfish Restoration program and announce new apportionments that will be going to state agencies.
During the Conservation Awards Banquet on Saturday night, Martin Peters of Yamaha will provide an update on the Bass Anglers for Conservation initiative and Jim Martin, director of the Berkley Conservation Institute, will provide the keynote address.
“Sponsors have helped out tremendously this year,” Gilliland said, pointing out that Yamaha will support the awards banquet. MossBack Fish Attractors, the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation, the Aquatic Plant Management Society and the American Sportfishing Association sponsor the Friday night reception. FWS is also a contributor to the summit.