A New Restriction May be on the Horizon for Gulf Coast Boating: Petition to Establish Rice’s Whale Vessel Speed Zone

Impediments to boating access, in the forms of mandatory speed zones or restrictions on boat type or activity, stand to have a major impact on your business by either keeping boaters off the water or disincentivizing folks from buying boats. As the proposed Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule, which would mandate a 10-knot speed restriction along the large majority of the eastern seaboard as far as 90 miles off shore for boats 35 feet and above, continues to move through the regulatory process, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has recently initiated another request for public comments on yet another petition to establish vessel speed measures to protect Rice’s whale, an endangered species located solely in the Gulf of Mexico.

Figure 1: The red represents the proposed area where the 10-knot mandatory vessel speed limit, and additional mitigation measures, will be in place.

Click here and fill out this survey to help us understand how these proposed regulations will impact your business.

As recreational boating industry stakeholders, we have a crucial role to play in conservation and ensuring a delicate balance between human activities and the marine ecosystem, while also preserving boating access.

Rice’s whale, also known as the Gulf of Mexico whale, is a majestic creature that is believed to only inhabit the Gulf of Mexico. Named after American biologist Dale Rice, this species was only recently recognized as distinct from the Bryde’s whale and determined to be a unique sub-species in 2021. Unfortunately, its population has been steadily declining due to various factors, and the current estimated population is fewer than 100 individuals.

After the discovery that the Rice’s Whale is unique and has a limited population, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Healthy Gulf, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Earth justice and the New England Aquarium put forth a petition May 11, 2021, to NOAA, asking for the establishment of a mandatory 10-knot speed limit as well as other vessel-related mitigation measures for all vessel types and sizes during the entire year. After receiving the petition, NOAA has posted the petition and a call for public comments in the Federal Register April 7, 2023, with the comment period set to close July 6, 2023.

Th submitted petition seeks to implement mandatory vessel speed measures within the whale’s habitat to reduce the risk of ship strikes. It would also require all vessels transiting through the area to adhere to the following mitigation measures:

  1. All vessel operators must avoid transiting through the Vessel Slowdown Zone at
    nighttime.
  2. All vessels must maintain a minimum separation distance of 500 meters from Gulf of
    Mexico whales. If a whale is observed but cannot be confirmed as a species other than
    a Gulf of Mexico whale, the vessel operator must assume that it is a Gulf of Mexico
    whale and take appropriate action for avoidance.
  3. Visual observers must monitor the vessel strike avoidance zone (500 meters). Observers can be either third-party observers or crew members, but crew members responsible for these duties must be provided sufficient training to distinguish aquatic protected species to broad taxonomic groups. Operators transiting through the Vessel Slowdown Zone must report their plans to NOAA Fisheries.
  4. All vessels 65 feet or greater must have a functioning Automatic Identification System
    (AIS) on board and operating at all times, as required by the U.S. Coast Guard. If the
    vessel does not require AIS and/or is less than 65 feet in length, AIS is strongly
    encouraged. Vessels that lack an operating AIS must provide the vessel’s name and
    call signs to NOAA Fisheries and notify NOAA Fisheries when they are transiting
    through the Vessel Slowdown Area.
  5. If a vessel operates in violation of these conditions, the operator must report the
    noncompliance to NOAA Fisheries within 24 hours.
Figure 1: The red represents the proposed area where the 10-knot mandatory vessel speed limit, and additional mitigation measures, will be in place.

The proposed vessel speed zone and additional conservation measures stand to have a significant negative economic impact on the recreational boating industry in the Gulf and surrounding coastal communities. With the Rice’s Whale habitat area overlapping largely with De Soto Canyon, a popular offshore fishing ground, it is easy to understand the challenge this petition presents for recreational boaters.

As boat dealers, it is essential for you to stay informed and engaged in discussions surrounding these issues. By actively participating in the public comment process and advocating for alternative solutions, you can help shape policies that strike a balance between conservation and sustaining the economic well-being of the marine industry. Are you a coastal dealer located in a Gulf state?

If you have any questions or want to get engaged, please email Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager at Chad@mraa.com.

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Discover Boating Boat Shows Build Marketing Momentum

The 2023 winter/spring show season presented the opportunity to expand awareness for boat shows and recreational boating, uniting Discover Boating and boat shows nationwide under one umbrella. Through Discover Boating’s marketing and PR efforts, millions of consumers were reached through a broad spectrum of channels to retain core boaters and boat show customers, while attracting the next generation of boating enthusiasts. Check out this reel of Discover Boating boat show marketing and PR highlights.

A snapshot of this year’s Discover Boating boat shows marketing results:

  • 2.4 billion impressions across advertising, public relations and social media
  • More than 1 million web visits
  • 2,800 news stories and $3 million in publicity value
  • 1.8 million engagements on Facebook and Instagram show pages
  • Boat Finder attracted 160,000+ unique users
2023 Discover Boating Boat Shows Highlights

Learn more on how to get involved in future Discover Boating boat shows at DiscoverBoating.com/boat-shows. Up next, Sept. 21-24, 2023, the Discover Boating Norwalk Boat Show, in partnership with Progressive Insurance.

Northpoint Commercial Finance Advances as MRAA’s Newest Strategic Partner

• Northpoint steps up its support of MRAA’s mission through enhanced membership and Dealer Week participation

MINNEAPOLIS — Northpoint Commercial Finance has significantly increased its support of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, MRAA’s mission of supporting dealers and the Dealer Week annual Conference & Expo as a Strategic Partner — the highest level of membership with the association.

    

Northpoint Commercial Finance joins 11 existing Strategic Partners, which provide the highest level of sponsorship support for MRAA and Dealer Week. These companies serve as the strategic and financial backbone of the association, participating in regular dialogue with the MRAA Board of Directors and staff and helping to prioritize the initiatives the association employs to fuel its mission for serving boat and engine dealers.

Northpoint Commercial Finance, which has its headquarters in Alpharetta, Ga., and Burlington, Ontario, is a diversified floorplan finance lender that partners with dealers, manufacturers and boat clubs in the marine marketplace and 13 other industries. The company – which has earned +86 net promoter score – is a top leader in marine financing, serving 1,100+ marine retail dealers and 150+ OEMs through flexible financing programs that aim to drive greater levels of profitability for its customers. Northpoint’s marine portfolio exceeded $1 billion the first quarter of 2023, with product ranging from small skiffs to luxury yachts. A longstanding MRAA Member company for nearly a decade, Northpoint Commercial Finance’s increased investment in MRAA’s mission means MRAA’s Strategic Partner Level is now SOLD OUT.

Russell Baqir, Northpoint Commercial Finance
Russell Baqir, Northpoint Commercial Finance

“Northpoint is actively engaged and solidly invested in the long-term growth of our industry and we’re aligned in supporting MRAA’s ongoing mission to fuel the success of our industry’s dealers,” said  Russell Baqir, Northpoint’s Sr. VP – Business Development.

“Our entire team including dedicated field and in-house sales representatives are passionate about the boating business,” added John Durnien, Sr. VP – Business Development. “We embrace the MRAA mission to drive success to marine dealers in the boating industry and look forward to working closely with them in the days, months and years ahead.”

“As a longtime member of MRAA, Northpoint Commercial Finance understands MRAA’s rich history of serving the marine industry and the dealer market,” explains Allison Gruhn, Vice President of Business Development. “We are proud that our shared focus on dealer growth and success has led to this expanded partnership between the Northpoint and MRAA teams.”

MRAA Strategic Partners are organizations that have committed to supporting the MRAA at the highest level of membership through a three-year partnership program.

The current 2023 Strategic Partner list:

About the MRAA Strategic Partner Program
Strategic Partners serve as the strategic and financial backbone of the MRAA. As MRAA’s highest-level members, Strategic Partners participate in regular dialogue with the MRAA Board of Directors and staff, helping to set the initiatives and priorities of the association in its mission to fuel the growth and success of today’s boat and engine dealers. The Strategic Partners also provide the highest level of sponsorship support for Dealer Week, The MRAA Conference and Expo. Learn more at https://mraa.com/page/strategicpartners.

About Northpoint Commercial Finance
Northpoint Commercial Finance, with offices in Alpharetta, GA, and Burlington, ON, is owned by LBC Capital – a subsidiary of Laurentian Bank of Canada. Northpoint is a diversified floorplan finance lender that partners with both manufacturers and dealers in 14 industries (i.e. Marine, Manufactured Housing, RV, Power Sports, Trailer, and more) to provide flexible financing programs. Northpoint’s inventory finance offerings drive sales, enhance cash flow, and improve profitability for both manufacturer and dealers. For more information about Northpoint Commercial Finance, visit https://northpointcf.com/industries/marine/.

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, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.

Female Anglers Pose Significant Revenue Opportunity for Fishing Industry

• RBFF and Southwick Associates Find: Increasing women’s participation in fishing stands to provide an additional $1 billion in revenue to the sportfishing industry

ALEXANDRIA, VA (May 18, 2023) – Female anglers pose a significant revenue opportunity for the fishing industry, according to new research from the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and Southwick Associates. The research, which was conducted to learn more about the financial impact of increasing female angler participation, found a 10 percent increase in women’s participation in fishing could provide an additional $1.0 billion in revenue for the sportfishing industry. This means each additional female participant is worth nearly $1,000 in annual revenue for the industry.

“We know through research that recruiting and retaining female anglers is critical to growing fishing and boating participation overall,” said RBFF President and CEO Dave Chanda. “The bottom line is, increasing female fishing participation is also good for business, and the industry stands to benefit greatly from focusing more on this growing audience.”

The research shows an opportunity to focus efforts geographically:

  • Women in the South and Midwest regions both spent around $3.5 billion each (over $7 billion total) on fishing.
  • In the Midwest, female anglers each spent an average of $1,106 annually.
  • In the South, female anglers spent an annual average of $796 per person.

Additional key findings:

  • Despite the strong female angler representation in the Midwest, saltwater fishing has emerged as a driving force behind the financial stimulus female anglers bring to the industry. In 2021, female saltwater anglers spent more per capita than female freshwater anglers ($3.7 billion versus $6.6 billion, respectively).
  • Women spent relatively more on special equipment including vehicles, boats, real estate, and more for saltwater fishing compared to freshwater fishing (35 percent compared to 22 percent, respectively).

RBFF recently launched the research-backed Take Me Fishing “Find Your Best Self on the Water” campaign to help women uncover the life-changing benefits of fishing and boating. Rooted in extensive research, this integrated marketing program aims to create awareness of fishing and boating among diverse new audiences and motivate participation.

For more information on RBFF’s research-backed campaign, visit.

ABOUT RBFF

RBFF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase recreational angling and boating participation, thereby protecting, and restoring the nation’s aquatic natural resources. To help recruit, retain, and reactivate participants, RBFF developed the award-winning Take Me Fishing™ campaign to build awareness of boating, fishing, and conservation and educate people about the benefits of participation.

The campaign websites feature how-to-videos and an interactive state-by-state map that allows visitors to find local boating and fishing spots, helping boaters and anglers of all ages and experience levels learn, plan, and equip for a successful day on the water.

RBFF also offers its industry stakeholders many tools, including a Fishing License & Boat Registration Plugin to connect their customers with the information they need in just one click and an embeddable Places to Fish & Boat Map to help their customers discover places to fish and boat near them.

Marine Industry Association of Central Florida Helps Dealers Thrive with MRAA Membership

MINNEAPOLIS, May 16, 2023 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) announces that it has added 15 new Bronze Members because the Board of Directors of the Marine Industry Association of Central Florida (MIACF) approved a new benefit for all MIACF Members that includes a free, 1-year membership to the MRAA.

“The Marine Industry Association of Central Florida, like all the other Marine Trade Associations across the country, and MRAA share the same mission,” said Joe Lewis, MIACF Board Past President and Owner of Mount Dora Boating Center & Marina. “We all exist to provide resources for the benefit of our members. Giving our members an MRAA Bronze Membership is the most cost-effective way for MIACF to provide our members with world-class resources and content, while also helping them grow their businesses. It’s a win-win for all.”


MIACF Members receive access to MRAA’s core benefits, resources and partner programs, providing each business with ample opportunities for growth and improvement. MRAA Bronze Membership includes one free online course from MRAATraining, member-exclusive resources, discounts on MRAA’s annual Dealer Week Conference and Expo, Certification and the Certified Pre-Owned Boat Program. In addition, they gain exclusive access to legislative updates, guidance on common pain points and cost-saving and revenue-generating benefits.

MIACF dealers that joined the MRAA:
  • Aloha Marine
  • Atlantic Marine
  • Beachline Marine
  • Bluepoints Marina
  • Boat Max USA
  • Dealer’s Choice Marine
  • Florida’s Family Marine
  • Gerry’s Marina
  • Liquid Planet Marine
  • PortSide Marine
  • Sonny’s Marine
  • Ultimate Marine of Central Florida
  • Victory Marine
  • Waylen Bay Marine
  • West Orlando Powersports & Marine

The following eight Florida dealerships were already active MRAA Members, so the MIACF applied the value of an MRAA Bronze Membership toward their eventual MRAA Membership renewal.

  • Action Water Sports
  • Boat Tree Marina
  • Boaters Exchange
  • Mount Dora Boating Center & Marina
  • Nautical Ventures Group
  • Regal & Nautique of Orlando
  • Tommy’s Florida
  • VForce Marine

If your MTA is interested in including MRAA Membership for your dealer members, please email MRAA Membership Manager, Sherri Cuvala at sherri@mraa.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, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.

Discover Boating: Engaging Tomorrow’s Customers Today

Discover Boating, powered by the National Marine Manufacturers Association® (NMMA) and MRAA, has rolled out its See You Out Here marketing campaign heading into peak boating season. The focus remains on expanding the market for boating by attracting the next generation and retaining current boaters.

For nearly two decades, Discover Boating has helped nurture the next generation while keeping boating top of mind in the U.S. and Canada, which becomes even more impactful during times of economic, cultural, or political change.

Industry & Boater Research

That is why extensive research has been conducted to ensure the brand is reaching and resonating with those who are most poised to become future boaters. Discover Boating recently hosted a webinar, Understanding Barriers and Opportunities of Next Gen Boaters, that addressed the socio-demographics, psychographics and financial opportunities among its target audiences (Core, Growth and Emerging segments), their boating attitudes and interests, as well as their barriers and motivations to boat buying.

The findings revealed a tremendous growth opportunity in starting to engage those audiences today, even though it may take years before they are ready to buy a boat. The three target audiences comprise an estimated 91 million people in the U.S. alone. In line with overall population shifts that are happening as Millennials and Gen Z grow up, the potential future boat buyer tends to have different interests, behaviors and philosophies on what matters most to them. Growth and Emerging audiences have the financial means, interest and engagement in the outdoors, and prioritize memorable experiences over things, which make them a prime target for boating consideration. As the industry welcomes more Millennial and Gen Z future boaters, communicating with them today moves them closer to boat ownership tomorrow.

To attract the next generation – many of whom have not historically seen themselves as boaters – it is important to spark a connection and make them feel welcome on the water. As noted in the webinar, that starts with authentic representation. That is not as much about placing people in advertising than building connections that feel personal, ensuring they feel heard and understood by relating in a genuine way to their culture, attitudes and interests. 

All aspects of Discover Boating’s strategic marketing approach are rooted in research, including barriers and opportunities related to cost, emotional and experiential benefits of boating, the boat shopping/buying process, education and community. Gaining a deep understanding of the target audience helps inform how, when, where and to whom Discover Boating reaching with the See You Out Here campaign.

Part of the campaign’s marketing mix includes a robust media buy across Google search, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, as well as new strategic partnerships with media outlets and companies reaching next generation audiences including SHAPE, The Root and mitú. In addition, the brand is partnering with NBC’s GOLF Channel given the parallel between golf and boating audiences who share similar interests.

Discover Boating

Another key component of Discover Boating’s marketing is maintaining the feelings of trust and respect the audiences have for the brand, which has acted as consumers’ friend with a boat throughout its 20-year history. This requires continually listening to and supporting consumers with information, resources and tools that make their experiences in boating more convenient and fun.

Discover Boating Boat Brand & Awareness

A recipient of the trust and brand equity Discover Boating has established over the years are the NMMA-owned boat shows, which this past year came under the Discover Boating brand umbrella, with the goal of further amplifying the industry’s voice and bringing more people to brands and dealers. In the case of boat shows, that customer is further down the proverbial sales and marketing funnel as boat shows are one of the industry’s primary industry sales and marketing venues.

The interconnectedness of Discover Boating’s awareness efforts and the Discover Boating boat shows is significant. In Discover Boating Boat Show PR efforts alone, more than 800 stories included mention of Discover Boating, delivering more than $500,000 in publicity value. Discover Boating brand awareness efforts, the bulk of which take place between March and September, gets the industry’s voice in front of next generation customers. From influencer partnerships to PR to articles, tips, and resources, social and traditional media.

Discover Boating works with content creators on Instagram and TikTok, where the next generation audiences consume the bulk of their news, entertainment and social connections. According to social media software company, Sprout Social, TikTok is the most frequently used social media app worldwide with users spending an average of 23.5 hours per month on the platform, and 70 percent of shoppers look to Instagram for their next purchase. Discover Boating’s diverse fleet of content creators represent next gen and current boaters with the unique ability to speak directly to their followers about the benefits of boating and how they can get on the water with help from Discover Boating.

Public Relations & Media Plans

Public relations extends the power of storytelling and increases awareness through strategic media engagement. Discover Boating targets outlets that reach its long-term growth audiences with earned media placements that position the brand as an expert source among mainstream and diverse consumer audiences. PR programming includes media relations, immersive press events and public service announcements (PSA).

Continuous enhancements are being made to DiscoverBoating.com, and a digital transformation for DiscoverBoating.ca is underway to meet the needs and interests of the next generation and current boaters. Site visitors will find enhanced features, timely articles, video, imagery, and interactive tools such as Dealer Finder and Boat Finder. New, relevant content published on a regular basis helps break down barriers and offers guidance for those new to boating. For instance, this spring Discover Boating rolled out a boating safety video series in partnership with Progressive Insurance® to address safety topics in a meaningful and engaging way that resonates with new boaters who recently entered the market.

Get Involved

Industry stakeholders are encouraged to get involved to reach more people, connect with upcoming generations and position the industry for long-term growth. There are many ways to help amplify our voice whether it is by sharing and engaging with content via social media, utilizing research, photos and videos available at the Industry Resource Center, getting Marine Industry Certified if you are a dealer or getting your boats NMMA Certified if you are a boat manufacturer. Stakeholders can also get involved in advocacy efforts focused on water access, which helps ensure current and future customers are able to enjoy waterways across the country.

Stay tuned for more updates on the campaign throughout summer.

22 Tips to Tackle High Rates & Finance More Deals

Higher interest rates are putting a damper on customers’ interest in financing their boat purchases. In a recent MRAA Pulse Report Survey, about 8 out of 10 dealers cited high interest rates as the biggest obstacle to customer financing. Low lender approval rates came in second, followed by “perceived values of trade-ins” and “other.”

There’s no denying that it used to be easy to get customer approval. Now, it’s tougher, but not impossible, especially with the following tactics to help you finance more deals. We’ve done some legwork to create a list of 22 Tips to Tackle High Rates & Finance More Deals from MRAA.com, resources and partner contributions.

Treat this list as a 22-point inspection for your F&I Department in its quest to secure more deals, and as a way to improve the ownership experience of your customers.

Cover of MRAA's How to Read a Credit Report with boat creating wake in ocean
  1. Offer in-house financing options to provide more financing opportunities to customers, maintain contact and control the sale.
  2. Have a full complement of lending options for the various credits and collateral you deal with, including national and local lenders, as well as credit unions.
    • Lenders with strong rates for Prime Credit
    • Lenders for Subprime Credit (Below 700)
    • Lenders with larger advance options to help maintain front-end profit
    • Lenders with lower down payment options
    • Lenders who financed pre-owned boats
    • Lenders who finance repowers and loose engines
    • Lender and brokers who will finance Consignments and Commercial Use
    • Visit National Marine Lenders Association (NMLA) to find a list of Marine Banks and Credit Unions
  3. Learn to read credit to better qualify your customers.
  4. Understand what each lender’s credit buy box is to increase funding percentages.
  5. Offer pre-approval options for customers to streamline the financing process.
  6. Provide financing calculators on the dealership’s website to help customers estimate their monthly payments.
  7. Do not quote rates, quote payments.
  8. Understand “cash” is not always cash and develop scripts to better capture outside finance opportunities. For example, cash is good anywhere. Your financing is only good with you.
  9. Train sales staff to effectively communicate financing options and benefits to customers.
  10. If available, utilize manufacturer-sponsored programs to offer financing options to customers.
  11. Leverage trade-ins as a way to reduce the overall cost of a boat purchase for customers.
  12. Provide financing options for used boats to expand the potential customer base.
  13. Offer financing for boat accessories and upgrades to increase the overall value of the sale.
  14. Offer financing for boat repairs and maintenance to retain customers and generate additional revenue.
  15. Use social media to promote financing options and attract new customers.
  16. Create financing guides and resources to educate customers on the financing process and options available to them.
  17. Consider offering boat ownership programs such as boat sharing or boat clubs to attract customers who may not want to finance a boat purchase outright.
  18. Host financing events and seminars to educate customers on the financing process and options available to them.
  19. Work with manufactures and lenders to leverage financing incentives such as rebates or discounts for customers who choose to finance their boat purchase.
  20. Leverage customer reviews and testimonials to showcase the financing experience and benefits of financing through the dealership.
  21. Implement a referral program to incentivize current customers to refer new customers who may be interested in financing a boat purchase.
  22. Continuously evaluate and update financing options to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of customers.

    If you’re already implementing some of these 22 Tips to Tackle High Rates & Finance More Deals at your dealership, great! Adding more can help your F&I Department and dealership finance more deals in 2023 while increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

    For more F&I tools, resources and tips, visit the MRAA Resource Center and the MRAA Spotlight page: “Finance More of Your Deals.”

    Jerrod Kelley, MRAA Content Manager dressed in blue shirt standing outside by a tree
    Jerrod Kelley, MRAA Content Manager

    Share Your Story: Reach out with some of your team’s clever ways of handling the current market conditions. Email me: jerrod@mraa.com.

    ‘Find Your Best Self’ Marketing Campaign Webinar

    • Industry-wide Webinar to Share Research, Creative and Insights on Using Campaign to Reach Anglers and Boaters in Your State

    Women represent an important emerging audience for the fishing and boating industry. To grow this demographic, Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and Ipsos conducted research among active, lapsed and non-angler women to understand active female anglers’ mindsets and drivers, and what challenges exist to increasing participation.

    RBFF, and MRAA Partner Member, has taken findings from the research to create a brand new marketing campaign that launched May 1, for Take Me Fishing™ focused on reaching women.

    On Wed., May 31, you can join the RBFF to hear from Rachel Piacenza, RBFF Senior Director of Marketing, and Joanna Lario, Senior Manager of Digital Content, about the brand new “Find Your Best Self” campaign!

    TOPICS COVERED:

    • Summary of the research

    • How the research influenced a new campaign

    • Overview of the campaign including information on timing, channels, social media and integrated partnerships

    • Examples of new creative

    • How you can use the campaign to reach anglers/boaters in your state.

    WEBINAR DETAILS:

    • Time: 1 p.m. CT / 2 p.m. ET

    • Date: Wed., May 31, 2023

    Register Here

    Please contact Joanne Martonik at jmartonik@rbff.org with any questions.

    Take Me Fishing Launches ‘Find Your Best Self on the Water’ Campaign Spotlighting Benefits of Fishing and Boating for Women

    • Marketing campaign fueled by extensive research revealing women who fish are happier and healthier

    ALEXANDRIA, VA (May 2, 2023) – The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) this week launched the Take Me Fishing™ “Find Your Best Self on the Water” campaign to create awareness of fishing and boating among diverse new audiences and motivate participation. The national integrated marketing campaign, rooted in extensive research, helps women uncover the life-changing benefits of fishing and boating.

    Image of woman and girl fishing reeling in a fish from a yellow fishing boat on a body of water.

    “Women are the gateway to the greatest growth in fishing and boating participation,” said RBFF SVP of Marketing & Communications, Stephanie Vatalaro. “The opportunity is clear. Research shows women do most of the family activity planning and drive 85 percent of consumer spending decisions. Most kids fish with Moms more than with Dads and brands who put women front and center in their advertising are held in higher regard by both women and men.”

    ​​​​​​The business opportunity is also clear. A 2022 Southwick Associates study found the average female angler in the U.S. spends $962 annually on sport fishing gear and services. A 10 percent increase in women’s fishing participation could provide an additional $1 billion in revenue to the sportfishing industry. 

    The “Find Your Best Self” campaign is based on research conducted by IPSOS in 2022 that revealed women who fish are happier and healthier. Conceived and developed by a women-led team, the campaign depicts female anglers experiencing the benefits of fishing and boating first-hand. The campaign includes 60- and 30-second ads, public service announcements, print, digital, and social media extensions, integrated media partnerships, influencer partnerships, and earned media activations.

    “Campaign testing showed the new ads motivated both women and men to go fishing, so we’re excited to see how both audiences interact with the campaign this Summer,” said RBFF Sr. Director of Marketing, Rachel Piacenza. “Find Your Best Self on the Water strives to accurately and inclusively depict women in fishing, ideally inspiring more females to feel comfortable trying this life-enhancing activity.”​​

    ​​​​Despite record levels of female participation in fishing, the activity still has a long way to go toward welcoming women. Research shows that 43 percent of female anglers do not feel respected by the fishing community and 1 in 4 female anglers believe negative stereotypes exist about women’s ability to fish.

    RBFF association logo with white outline of boat and fish in blue circle and the words Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation

    Lack of representation is intimidating and prohibitive for at least one in every four female anglers, and women of color tend to agree even more with this statement.

    RBFF‘s 2023 consumer-facing marketing campaign aims to confront these barriers and inspire every woman in this nation to challenge themselves to try something new to help them find their best self while supporting a more inclusive fishing and boating community.

    Visit takemefishing.org/find-your-best-self for more on the campaign and additional insights and information on women’s research.

    ###

    ABOUT RBFF

    RBFF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase recreational angling and boating participation, thereby protecting, and restoring the nation’s aquatic natural resources. To help recruit, retain, and reactivate participants, RBFF developed the award-winning Take Me Fishing™ campaign to build awareness of boating, fishing, and conservation and educate people about the benefits of participation.

    The campaign websites feature how-to-videos and an interactive state-by-state map that allows visitors to find local boating and fishing spots, helping boaters and anglers of all ages and experience levels learn, plan, and equip for a successful day on the water.

    RBFF also offers its industry stakeholders many tools, including a Fishing License & Boat Registration Plugin to connect their customers with the information they need in just one click and an embeddable Places to Fish & Boat Map to help their customers discover places to fish and boat near them.

    Best Friend at Work

    By Bob McCann, MRAA Lead MICD Program Consultant

    Think about your workplace for a few minutes, and imagine a stressful day – we all have them now and again. Think for a second about when that stress bubbles up, who at work do you run to? Who do you vent to? From whom do you seek the most honest advice?

    Image of Bob McCann of the MRAA dressed in white button-up dress shirt in front of greenery in Minnesota
    Bob McCann

    On the flip side, when you have a successful sale, conquer a difficult meeting or achieve a milestone in your career, who at work do you celebrate with first? Is it the same person as you sought when you were down?

    If that person didn’t work with you any longer, would it dramatically impact your work day, your career, how you take on wins and mourn losses? If there is one person you’re imaging now, or even a couple close confidants, you’ve uncovered a best friend at work.

    Employee Satisfaction Survey
    The Employee Satisfaction Survey (ESS), which MRAA fields to all Certified Dealers on an annual basis, proves to be one of the valuable components of the Certified Dealership program. It provides insights into the culture, the work environment, the leadership and the employee morale at hundreds of dealerships each year. In fact, we have collected more than 20,000 individual responses since MRAA began running the survey in 2014.

    Of all the value that the ESS delivers, it asks one question that has proven quite controversial over the years: Do you have a best friend at work? 

    Candidly, even as the Lead Certification Consultant, I, myself, have been challenged with the idea of this question being asked. Why? Because my best friend doesn’t work with me! So, this question has been a dilemma for me because while I had personal feelings related to it, the dealerships themselves — who typically see the lowest scores of their entire survey representing this question — have debated the question for years. In fact, we just got another complaint about it on Tuesday.

    Gallup Rationale
    The truth of the matter is that MRAA used Gallup’s list of employee engagement questions to formulate the majority of the ESS. (Gallup, a global workplace analytics company, by the way, states on its “About Us” page that “We know more about the will of employees, customers, students and citizens than anyone in the world. We know what matters most to them at work and in life and how those priorities change over time. And we use that knowledge to create transformation.”)

    Gallup’s rationale (which our team at MRAA subscribes to) for including this question “Do you have a best friend at work?” is simply because their research of hundreds of thousands of people shows that having a best friend at work is key to high levels of employee engagement and job success. Positive scores for having a best friend at work are strongly linked to stronger business outcomes, including profitability, safety and retention.

    According to Gallup, employees who have a best friend at work are significantly more likely to:

    • Engage customers and internal partners
    • Get more done in less time
    • Support a safe workplace with fewer accidents and reliability concerns
    • Innovate and share ideas
    • Have fun while at work

    Who doesn’t want to work at this place?!

    So those data points are great and pretty convincing, but it was something different that convinced me that this was the right question.

    The survey does not ask, “Do you work with your best friend?” It’s not talking about that one person who you consider your absolute best friend. It’s worded to say, “a best friend.” In other words, do you work with someone you would enjoy hanging out with after hours, at a happy hour or some other event. I, like most dealers who dislike this question, was thinking of one person! One best friend.

    I realized I have best friend-type friends beyond my one-and-only best friend. Friends that you can trust, someone you share the positives with or who can make you laugh when you’re having a rough day at work. You may have a very supportive partner at home, but a colleague at work will have an even better understanding of the world you work in with more insider knowledge, to understand your viewpoint.

    Friends & Best Friends
    Unless you work entirely on your own, chances are that you work with at least some other people. Given that we typically spend a huge portion of our time at work, perhaps it’s more important than ever to have friends at work. Would you spend time outside of work with these people? Would you have them over for dinner, or take them out on your boat? Perhaps you do have a “best friend” at work.

    One last thing: As Gallup points out, pretty much everyone says they have “a friend” at work, but the word “best” in the sentence – again, the main issue for most dealers – is a differentiator. It’s a determining factor in the highest levels of engagement. Anyone can have a friend at work, someone they’re cordial with, maybe they sit down at a lunch table together with, but a best friend is that person whom they can confidently confide in, share their biggest frustrations with, but also the person they’d hate to abandon for a new opportunity. It’s the person who keeps them happy on a slow day and keeps them on track in the face of burnout. It’s the person who makes coming into work fun, and not just well … work.

    Great Dealerships to Work For
    As part of the ESS process, dealers not only have their staff take the survey, but they also sit down with their team after receiving the results to celebrate the wins and work as a team on what they can improve. As “Do you have a best friend at work?” is commonly one of the three lowest performing questions, I remind dealers that the survey is a conversation starter because it provides insight to everyone’s opinion on what’s going well and what could be better. If many employees don’t have a best friend at work, maybe what they’re missing is time to get to know each other, and by accommodating that time into the year, you’ll have more best friends at work the next time the survey is run.

    As you may or may not know, MRAA uses the ESS scores to rate “Great Dealerships to Work For.” Asking this question, with the word “best” in it helps MRAA differentiate between dealerships with highly engaged employees and the dealerships with less-engaged employees. We all want to be the best at something, and this question, along with the others in the ESS, allows Certified Dealers to truly build the best environment to attract and retain staff.