Conservation Profile: The Bass Federation
Category: article
Nov 7th, 2008 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Nov 7th, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Today BassFIRST features part 1 of our interview with the President of The Bass Federation (TBF) Robert Cartlidge. Cartlidge lets us know what The Bass Federation is and how he and TBF are trying to increase participation in sport fishing throughout the US.
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TBF President Robert Cartlidge
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BF – What is The Bass Federation?
RC – The Bass Federation is a member owned fishing, youth and conservation organization. TBF is the oldest and largest organized grassroots fishing organization in America. We are owned by those we serve and dedicated to the sport of fishing.
BF – When was your organization formed?
RC – The Bass Federations have been in existence for more than 30 years, since 1972, as loosely formed independent state federations. In 2003 we formally joined them all together as one company. The Bass Federation, Inc. (TBF)
BF – Why was your organization created?
RC – The company was created because all the state federations were out there working for anglers, youth and conservation, but no one was working for them to help support the work that they do. So TBF was created for that purpose.
BF – How is your organization funded?
RC – Primarily through industry leading partnerships and sponsorships. All dues money is “paid back” to the membership in member benefits.
BF – What does your organization do to increase the participation in sport fishing?
RC – Our three core values as a company are fishing, Youth and Conservation. All of these help promote and ensure fishing for the future. Currently we are excited to be rolling out our new TBF Student Anglers Federation. Fishing clubs in the public School systems that teach much more than fishing. They teach how your education, things like math, science and language arts, are important tools in being successful as an angler and in everything you do in life. Our Collegiate Federation is the largest college fishing organization as well. Last year we awarded $50,000.000 in conservation grants to the states for various conservation projects, provided each state federation conservation director with a state of the art dissolved Oxygen meter to help them manages fish care at their state events, and our state federations continually play an active roll in conservation and anglers rights issues in their states. So we are about much more than “just fishing tournaments”
BF – How do you personally work at increasing sport fishing participation?
RC – Personally, I do what I can to spread the message, I probably speak at 15 or 20 functions a year, sit on various industry boards, committees, and partnerships that work together to advance sportfishing to all people.