Virginia General Assembly Passes Legislation to Strengthen Menhaden Conservation

Bill supports recreational fishing economy and science-based management.

With strong bipartisan support, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation that improves menhaden management in the Atlantic. 

The bill, which is headed to Governor Northam’s desk, transfers management authority of Atlantic menhaden to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, which oversees every other saltwater fishery in the Commonwealth. Once signed into law, the legislation puts Virginia on a path toward compliance with the regional fishery management plan, which foreign fishing giant Omega Protein violated last year.    

“With this landmark decision, the Virginia General Assembly has acknowledged the critical role that recreational fishing plays in the Virginia economy and the need for science, and not politics, to guide management,” said Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “For too long, Omega has exploited the Chesapeake Bay at the expense of recreational anglers. This is a huge step forward for sound fisheries conservation in the Chesapeake. The recreational fishing community thanks the bill sponsors and Governor Northam for their leadership as well as the unfailing support of charter captains, fishing guides and other small businesses who rely on a healthy Chesapeake Bay for their livelihoods.”   

In late 2019, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission found Omega Protein had exceeded the Chesapeake Bay reduction fishing cap by 35 million pounds, a ruling upheld by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. Conserving menhaden is particularly important because striped bass, which feed on menhaden, are in worrisome decline.    

“This decision by the Virginia General Assembly, decades in the making, recognizes the importance of science-backed conservation efforts in maintaining the health of our nation’s fisheries,” said Adam Fortier-Brown, government relations manager for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “This move to have menhaden fisheries managed by the Virginia Marine Resource Commission, like all other fisheries in the state, will make significant positive benefits to the recreational boating and fishing community. We thank the assembly, and Governor Northam for their leadership on this legislation, to ensure that boaters, fishermen and anglers along the Atlantic coast to participate in this major economic driver for years to come.”

“As a critical food source for rockfish and other important recreational fisheries, menhaden must be managed sustainably to support their role in the ecosystem,” said Mike Leonard, vice president of government affairs for the American Sportfishing Association. “Allowing the fisheries management experts at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to manage menhaden is a long-awaited step in ensuring science-based management of the resource. The sportfishing industry is particularly grateful to Governor Northam and leaders in the Virginia state legislature for prioritizing this bill and working diligently toward its passage.”

“There is a growing need for more robust conservation practices in our fisheries – not only with menhaden but all forage fish – and the passage of this bill is an important step towards better recognizing and correcting the harmful impacts overfishing can have on our communities,” said Nicole Vasilaros, senior vice president of government and legal affairs for the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “Protecting menhaden is essential for recreational activities in the Chesapeake Bay and we thank Virginia legislators for taking action to that ensure our marine ecosystems remain healthy for generations to come.”   

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, or contact us at 763-315-8043.

Biscayne National Park Fisheries Management Plan Approved

On February 19, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved the Biscayne National Park Fisheries Management Plan. The result of decades of debate, the recreational boating and fishing community successfully advocated for a plan that would increase the abundance of targeted species in the park by 20 percent without implementing a marine reserve that many recreational anglers considered a “lock-out” in the nation’s largest recreational marine park.

The new science-backed fisheries management plan, which will go into effect July 1,2020, proposes aggregate bag and size limits specific to the park to increase the wealth and average size of species such as snapper, grouper, hogfish, triggerfish, and grunts. Additionally, the plan addresses:

  1. Creates five new Coral Reef Protection Areas (CRPAs) which allow for the continuation of boating and of hook and line fishing. These realistic protections secure some of the most sensitive ecological parts of Biscayne National Park from trap and lobster harvest-related damages.

  2. Identifies a trap-free zone near the Biscayne National Park Visitor Center, which is a high traffic zone. This measure builds on the park’s prohibition of lobstering in the area, to cause less stress on the environment, promote safer access, and reduce user conflict.

  3. Lastly, the plan establishes a no-trawl zone within a portion of Biscayne National Park. This sensible protection is meant to conserve seagrass and hardbottom nursery habitats, which will provide reasonable protections for fish and invertebrates and reduce the chance of bycatch.

    In addition to approving this new fisheries management plan, FWC approved the following:

  4. The joint Biscayne National Park-FWC Science Plan to monitor fish stocks and establish baseline conditions and benchmarks every five years. This will ensure fish stock abundance for generations of anglers to come.

  5. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Biscayne National Park and FWC to clarify each party’s role in research and monitoring. This MOU includes an agreement that marine reserves would only be considered a suitable conservation option if all other options have been exhausted.

Biscayne National Park and its fisheries management decisions affect the over half a million visitors it welcomes to off the coast of Miami, Florida each year, and influences management plans in other parks across the nation. The recreational boating and fishing community considers it critically important that the park’s decisions identify sound science-backed solutions to balance conservation and public access. Sound conservation decisions to preserve vital aquatic ecosystems have a direct impact on the business of our industry, and how many recreators ultimately get out on the water. This is a major victory for our community, which ensures that our industry can continue to enjoy Biscayne National Park’s robust aquatic resources for years to come.

For more information, please contact MRAA Government Relations Manager, Adam Fortier-Brown at adam@mraa.com.

Bipartisan Legislation Would Prioritize Recreational Infrastructure

On February 10, U.S. Representatives John Katko (R-NY-24) and Anthony Brindisi (D-NY-22) introduced the Safe Harbors for Our Recreation Economy (SHORE) Act. This bipartisan legislation would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to account for recreation-based economic impacts in cost-benefit analysis procedures to prioritize funding for harbor maintenance, intracoastal, and inland waterways projects.

“Communities across the country are being forced to deal with significant damages caused by rising water levels, with many small businesses and marine dealers being flooded and going underwater. It is critical that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Office of Management and Budget consider the significant economic impact recreational boating and fishing has on local economies – which generates over $170 billion in economic output annually while supporting nearly 700-thousand well-paying American jobs – and that they prioritize the many outstanding recreational infrastructure projects out industry needs,” said MRAA Government Relations Manager, Adam Fortier-Brown. “We thank Representatives John Katko and Anthony Brindisi for their bipartisan leadership in sponsoring the SHORE Act, which will ensure that our industry receives the funding and consideration that we urgently need and deserve nationwide.”

“Led by boating and fishing, outdoor recreation is one of the fastest growing segments of the economy – generating $778 billion in annual economic output and supporting 5.2 million American jobs – and the SHORE Act will help our industry continue to power national and local economies well into the future,” said Callie Hoyt, NMMA director of federal government relations. “We thank Representatives John Katko and Anthony Brindisi for their leadership on this legislation, which will ensure recreation-based water infrastructure projects across the country receive the attention and funding they need and deserve.”

“Boating and recreation generates millions of dollars in regional economic benefits and creates hundreds of Central New York jobs. However, as communities across Lake Ontario’s southern shore continue to face the devastating consequences of rising water levels, it is critically important that U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) prioritize funding recreational infrastructure projects that play a significant role in our local economy,” said Rep. Katko. “To achieve this, I introduced the Safer Harbors for Our Recreation Economy Act, bipartisan legislation that will prioritize critical maintenance water infrastructure projects in Little Sodus Bay, Fair Haven, Oswego, and coastal communities across Lake Ontario. Prioritizing and executing these maintenance projects will play a key role in creating jobs and driving economic growth and development.”

The current process for prioritizing water infrastructure projects only accounts for commercial activity, leaving water-based recreational activities at a disadvantage. Recreational boating across the U.S. depends on safe, navigable waterways so that boaters can continue to enjoy our natural resources. MRAA supports the SHORE Act, and other legislation that would make the federal government more efficient with taxpayer dollars, and more responsive to the infrastructure needs of our industry.

Specifically, the SHORE Act:

  • Bolsters the recreation economy by directing the USACE and OMB to account for recreation-based considerations in cost-benefit analysis procedures for harbor maintenance projects. This ensures the economic benefits of recreational boating are thoroughly considered as part of the project authorization processes.

  • Improves transparency for USACE and OMB’s processes for prioritizing harbor maintenance projects by requiring these agencies to report to Congress on their procedures and issue recommendations for establishing a uniform calculation for recreation-based economic benefits.

For more information, please contact MRAA Government Relations Manager, Adam Fortier-Brown at adam@mraa.com.

Register for the 2020 American Boating Congress Today

Hundreds of recreational boating industry stakeholders will descend on Washington, D.C. from May 12-14, 2020 for the American Boating Congress (ABC) – the industry’s annual advocacy summit to educate members of congress and the administration on issues impacting your business. And we cordially invite you to join us.

ABC provides attendees with the unique opportunity to meet with elected officials, hear from a host of influential speakers, take part in a series of workshops and seminars, and discuss advocacy priorities with key policymakers. It’s your opportunity to build and strengthen relationships that lead to a brighter future for the recreational boating industry.

  • What: The 2020 American Boating Congress
  • Where: Washington, D.C.
  • When: Monday, May 12, 2020 – Wednesday, May 14, 2020

Register here.

We look forward to seeing you at ABC.

If you have questions or need additional information on the event, please contact Adam Fortier-Brown at adam@mraa.com or Erica Crocker at ecrocker@nmma.org.

Education and Training Records

Intent: Too many dealers are relying exclusively on OEM training. The more knowledge their team puts into place, the more the dealership will have opportunities to improve and grow.

What does training look like in your dealership?

From the conversations we have with dealers from all over the country, we know that many of you have great training and education programs that foster a culture of continuous improvement. But are you taking the time to record and track what team members are being trained and what they are being trained on?

Oftentimes, marine dealers, even the dealers who value education, become very one-sided in their training. Many fall into a routine of sending their sales team to OEM sales training at model year or enrolling technicians in manufacturer-based training to maintain their tech certifications. That is all great and valuable insight into the products you sell and service, but what about the rest of your team and the skills that they possess?

As part of the Marine Industry Certified Dealership program, you will be asked to record your staff’s training schedules (or provide training logs you already have!). From this exercise, you will be able to see gaps in your training programs and clear paths to ensure everyone is receiving the training they need to be successful in their job roles.

If you’re not currently tracking staff training, your Certification Consultant can provide you with a Training Matrix, which outlines the training topics and goals and results for each topic, so you can best assess which training is working and which training you should offer to more team members.

MRAA Debuts “Ask the Expert” Webinar Series

Following the success of two recent webinars that focused on asking experts the questions that marine retailers care about, MRAA has decided to launch a free monthly webinar series titled “Ask the Expert.” The first entry in the series is “Ask the Expert: How to Keep Your Dealership Safe,” featuring security expert Robert Siciliano, on Feb. 26 at noon Eastern.

“Our team is excited to use this webinar series to offer solutions to common problems dealers face and to identify new opportunities for dealership growth and improvement,” says Liz Walz, MRAA Vice President and host of the series. “One of the unique features of this type of education is that, at the end of the webinar, dealers will have the chance to get answers to questions about their specific situation from experts on that month’s topic. Sometimes that Q&A is the most valuable part.”

During the kickoff webinar, Siciliano, president and CEO of Safr.me, will share strategies for protecting yourself, your business, your employees and your customers. Common challenges in today’s technology-dependent world include phone scams, email fraud, ransomware and social media attacks on your reputation. Questions about these topics – and any others dealers wish to add — will discussed during the webinar.

Additional webinars will follow monthly on subjects such as boat show follow-up, workforce development and more.

Dealers and others can register to attend the kickoff webinar for free here: Ask the Expert: How to Keep Your Dealership Safe.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, contact us at 763-315-8043.

MRAA’s Dealer Week Receives World-Class Net Promoter Scores

Dealer Week, the annual conference and expo of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, held Dec. 8-11, 2019 in Tampa, Fla., finalized its post-event attendee survey campaign to find that dealer attendees rated the event with world-class net promoter scores.

“To reinvent our annual conference, we collaborated with the dealer community, leading manufacturers and suppliers, the industry’s expert trainers and educators, trade associations across North America, and several other stakeholders in marine retail success,” says Liz Walz, MRAA Vice President. “It’s rewarding to discover that what we built together was so well received by those we built it for – the dealers and their employees.”

Dealer Week earned a collective 77.06 net promoter score. Net promoter scores are calculated by asking dealers, “On a scale of 0-10, what is the likelihood you would refer others to Dealer Week?” Then, the percent of Detractors (those who rate the event between 0-6), of which there were only 3.36%, are subtracted from the percent of Promoters (those who score the event a 9 or 10), of which there were 80.43%. Companies that garner world-class loyalty receive net promoter scores of 75 to 80 percent.

In addition to the high scores, MRAA Partner Member, Customer Service Intelligence, Inc., a third-party provider that administers the follow-up and post-event recording, reports that Dealer Week earned twice as many “WOW” reports, or stand-out positive comments on experiences at the show, when compared to the previous year’s annual conference.

“I came away with a handful of things that I think we can actually implement,” says Monica Hurst of Spend-A- Day Marina. “I have a goal, action plan and results that I want to see. Any time you come away with that … then it is a success!”

Some of the features offered for the first time at the 2019 MRAA annual conference and expo were the Field Trip, 10 x 10 industry thought leader presentations, Education Hosts and the Float Plan. The purpose behind many of the new features was to arm attendees to return to their dealership, armed to take action capable of driving meaningful performance improvement in every department.

“I have to admit I was skeptical … thinking it would be sales based since I work in service, but all of the information was great no matter what part of the dealership you work in,” says Dean Hoffman of River Valley Power and Sport.

Now, the MRAA team has turned its focus to helping dealers carry out the plans they built in late 2019 and using their feedback to craft a bigger, better 2020 Dealer Week, Dec. 8-11 in Austin, Texas.

“With our goal of building a brighter future for marine retailing, MRAA designed the education, exhibits and networking at the event to not only provide an engaging, memorable experience during Dealer Week, but also to prepare dealers for success putting what they learn into place under their dealership roof,” comments Walz. “That’s what drove a lot of the new features of the event. That’s what is now driving the post-event resources we’re offering dealers. And that’s what will drive the improvements we’ll make for the 2020 event.”

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, contact us at 763-315-8043.

Three Service Providers Commit to MRAA Partnership in January

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is pleased to announced that Avonbrook Software Solutions, Honda Marine and Markel have committed to the MRAA at the Partner level.

Through Partner Membership, marine manufacturers, suppliers and service providers commit to align their brands with the programs and opportunities that MRAA works to provide the dealer body in order to help fuel the success of the industry. Support from Partners allows the Association to expand its offerings and create a positive, long-term impact for marine retailers.

Avonbrook Software Solutions
“Avonbrook is excited to enter this partner membership with MRAA and looks forward to bringing increased operational efficiency, profitability and user experience to marine dealers as we have done for new franchise car dealerships in Ireland since 1990,” said Aubrey Swinson, Avonbrook Software Solutions VP of Sales.

Avonbrook Software Solutions is a developer and provider of Dealer Management Systems to the automotive sector with an emphasis on niche segments, including boating. They pride themselves on cultivating a strong understanding of their customers’ unique business practices and requirements, resulting in delivery of fully integrated solutions that promote maximum profitability, professionalism and growth.

Honda Marine
For more than 40 years, Honda Marine has aimed to create cutting edge outboards while staying true to its core attributes of durability, quiet operation, quality and reliability.

Markel
Tim Lucas, Director of Underwriting & Production at Markel Marine, commented, “I cannot express how much Markel Marine appreciates the opportunities that our new partnership with the MRAA will provide. This partnership allows us to support its members in their efforts to grow their businesses and make their facilities a safer environment to both work and play.”

Markel Corporation is a holding company for insurance, reinsurance and investment operations and seeks to deliver innovative products and deliver consistent and responsive customer service to all of its clients worldwide.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, contact us at 763-315-8043.

Give Your Dealership Some Love this Valentine’s Day

Don’t just shower your significant other with love and presents on Valentine’s Day! Remember to give your business the time and attention it deserves by giving the gift of continuous improvement to your dealership.

Here at the MRAA, we know how difficult choosing the perfect gift can be so we have compiled a guide to help you navigate what your dealership (and employees) truly want…

For the dealership with a talented and aspiring sales manager…
Give the gift of the leadership training by enrolling them in “How to Excel as a Marine Dealership Leader and Manager.” This 7- part series will provide insight and tools to expand management and leadership skills, allowing viewers to grow professionally.

For the dealership with an outdated website…
Download Part One and Part Two of the 3Ds of Effective Website Marketing to give your website some much needed TLC. Its new look (and function) is sure to attract and keep those who visit your website engaged.

For the dealership with several job positions to fill…
Browse the MRAA Resource Center’s Career Center in order to create an environment that attracts and retains industry talent. Your employees will give “heart-eyes” over a more through job descriptions and a positive work culture.

Your dealership and employees are sure to swoon over the opportunities! For more ideas on ways to show love to your dealership this year, browse the MRAA Resource Center.

Dealer Week Awarded 2019 Neptune Awards Honorable Mention

Dealer Week, the reimagined Marine Retailers Association of the Americas Conference and Expo, was awarded Honorable Mention in the Event Marketing / Grassroots category of the 2019 Neptune Awards. Honorees were recognized at a combined Marine Marketers of America and Boating Writers International meeting during the Miami International Boat Show on February 13.

Dealer Week’s submission detailed the work that went into rebranding and launching an entirely new annual conference in 2019. After starting with defining the “why” behind the event, MRAA strategically rolled out an eight-stage strategy to introduce Dealer Week to the industry. The campaign asked dealers to “Envision” a brighter future for marine retailing. MRAA’s marketing tactics included strong partner relationships, targeted promotion, social media, video marketing, print advertising, email marketing and non-traditional marketing methods.

“Thank you to the Marine Marketers of America for recognizing the hard work that went into making the inaugural Dealer Week a success,” said Mike Davin, Brand Manager at MRAA. “The goal of Dealer Week was to build something that would have a positive impact on the industry, but of course that doesn’t mean anything if no one knows about your event. The credit for that goes to our partners and our team for executing on the strategy that was laid out back when Dealer Week was just a concept.”

More than 600 dealers and 1,100 attendees registered for the event, which included 115 exhibiting companies.

In 2020, Dealer Week moves to Austin, Texas, on Dec. 8-11. More information, as well as photos from the first Dealer Week, can be found at DealerWeek.com.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, contact us at 763-315-8043.