Increasing Hispanic family participation in fishing and boating in the United States is a prime objective of the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation.
RBFF’s announced that it’s awarding 16 grants from the George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar Educational Fund. These beneficiary programs are in eight states, and the funding will help bring fishing and boating experiences, as well as important conservation learning, to Hispanic families.
Overall, more than $109,500 in grants are being awarded. Equally important is the provision that appropriate state agencies must match the full grant amount.
Vamos A Pescar funds are the eighth round of such grants awarded since this program’s launch in 2014. The number of Hispanic anglers has grown 42%, according to the 2022 Special Report on Fishing. The Vamos A Pescar program is recognized as a leader in growing fishing participation in this community. But even with increasing success, Hispanics are still underrepresented in fishing, with less than 1 in 10, or about 4.7 million anglers, identifying as Hispanic.
In announcing the new round of grants, RBFF president and CEO Dave Chanda noted: “As we work to foster further participation within the Hispanic community, each of these grant recipients will be vital in directly providing the skills and knowledge needed to enjoy fishing and boating for years to come.”
The new grants are being awarded to the following states and will be matched and subgranted to these 16 organizations:
California
Colorado
Florida
Fishing’s Future – Reel Blessed Chapter
Manatee County Natural Resources Department
Miami-Dade Parks Recreation and Open Spaces – EcoAdventures
Pasco County Parks Recreation and Natural Resources
Oklahoma
Rhode Island
Partnership for Providence Parks
South Dakota
Augustana University
Texas
Virginia
Harrisonburg City Public Schools
The George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar Education Fund was created with a donation from Bass Pro Shops Founder and CEO Johnny Morris. The grant program helps fund state and local initiatives that engage Hispanic families in fishing, boating and conservation.
RBFF for more than two decades has worked to recruit, retain, reactivate and increase participation in boating and angling while protecting and restoring our natural resources. It leads in a variety of other national efforts with its award-winning “Take Me Fishing” programs.
