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
• 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
“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.
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.
• 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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
Offer in-house financing options to provide more financing opportunities to customers, maintain contact and control the sale.
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
Provide financing calculators on the dealership’s website to help customers estimate their monthly payments.
Do not quote rates, quote payments.
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.
Train sales staff to effectively communicate financing options and benefits to customers.
If available, utilize manufacturer-sponsored programs to offer financing options to customers.
Leverage trade-ins as a way to reduce the overall cost of a boat purchase for customers.
Provide financing options for used boats to expand the potential customer base.
Offer financing for boat accessories and upgrades to increase the overall value of the sale.
Offer financing for boat repairs and maintenance to retain customers and generate additional revenue.
Use social media to promote financing options and attract new customers.
Create financing guides and resources to educate customers on the financing process and options available to them.
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.
Host financing events and seminars to educate customers on the financing process and options available to them.
Work with manufactures and lenders to leverage financing incentives such as rebates or discounts for customers who choose to finance their boat purchase.
Leverage customer reviews and testimonials to showcase the financing experience and benefits of financing through the dealership.
Implement a referral program to incentivize current customers to refer new customers who may be interested in financing a boat purchase.
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.
• 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.
• 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.
“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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
Members of the recreational fishing and conservation community focus on next steps to conserve the Bay as purse seine sector celebrates toothless memorandum of understanding
FORT MONROE, VA, May 3, 2023 – A recently signed agreement to address the impacts of industrial menhaden harvest in the Chesapeake Bay falls short of limiting real damage inflicted by the fishery on recreational fishing and broader ecosystem health, based on a collective initial assessment by a coalition of sport-fishing and conservation groups.
On April 20, commercial purse seiners announced a voluntary agreement with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to avoid fishing in a small portion of the Chesapeake Bay, purportedly to avoid net spills near populated areas. However, the non-binding agreement is centered on the narrow goal of limiting and responding to future spill incidents, in which dead menhaden and other fish species released from nets foul area beaches, and does not address all areas within the Bay.
States that purse seiners will not fish within a half-mile of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, nor within one mile of the lower Eastern Shore and Virginia Beach regions.
States that purse seiners will not fish inside Bay waters on holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, nor on weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Outlines how the VMRC and purse seiners will develop a fish spill response protocol.
What the MOU does not do:
Establish any buffer in the northern portion of the Bay.
Prevent net spills outside the most populous areas of the Bay shoreline.
Create enforceable regulations of the reduction fishery.
Reduce the amount of menhaden removed from the Bay, which currently amounts to more than 100 million pounds of fish each year.
The agreement does not address the concerns of Virginians regarding user conflicts and fish spills that have plagued the Bay for years.
Steve Atkinson Virginia Saltwater Sportsfishing Association President
“The menhaden MOU is a positive step, but it falls short in several ways,” says Steve Atkinson, president of the Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association. “The buffer of one nautical mile does not extend to the Rappahannock River area, which is a popular spot for recreational fishing. The agreement also fails to address longstanding concerns about overharvest in the Bay.”
In December 2022, hundreds of Virginians attended a VMRC meeting to comment on a proposal by the Youngkin Administration that would have established regulations negotiated over months of stakeholder engagement. At that meeting, the VMRC agreed to instead pursue the non-binding memorandum of understanding with industrial menhaden harvester Omega Protein, which became final last week.
“While the memorandum of understanding covers a similar set of issues as the regulations put before VMRC last December, there is one big difference— enforceability,” says Mike Leonard, vice president of government affairs for the American Sportfishing Association. “Whether or not Omega Protein abides by the agreement, and we hope they do, there is still much more work to be done to lessen the harm that reduction fishing is causing to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.”
Throughout 2022, reduction fishing boats caused multiple Eastern Shore fish spills, resulting in the waste of an estimated 12,000 pounds of red drum bycatch and beach closures on major holidays, including Independence Day weekend. As recently as 2019, Omega willfully exceeded its 51,000-metric-ton catch limit in the Bay, inspiring tens of thousands of anglers, dozens of business and organizations, and nine East Coast governors to request that the Secretary of Commerce get involved.
Whit Fosburgh Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership President
“This memorandum of understanding with a foreign-owned, industrial-scale fishing operation in the Chesapeake Bay does little to address conservation of menhaden as a vital forage fish for striped bass and other sportfish,” says Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “While it is our sincere hope that the Commonwealth of Virginia will work to minimize user conflicts and fish spills in the Bay, this non-binding framework relies on the state’s ability to trust cosigners to abide by the rules. The reduction fishery hasn’t earned this trust.”
Last year, more than 10,000 anglers and conservationists from Virginia and up and down the East Coast signed a petition asking Gov. Youngkin to move industrial reduction fishing out of the Chesapeake Bay until science could show that the fishery was not having a negative impact on the ecosystem or the economy. The petition was delivered to Youngkin and the VMRC in October 2022.
Chad Tokowicz MRAA Government Relations Manager
“It is our hope that the signing of this MOU is only the first step toward increased conservation measures for this staple forage fish species,” says Chad Tokowicz, Government Relations Manager for the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas. “With the May openings of Maryland and Virginia’s respective striped bass seasons, it will be obvious the importance menhaden have for this keystone recreational species.”
Anglers remain engaged and anxious to see more meaningful action to safeguard menhaden, sport-fish, and the Bay economy. The conservation community looks forward to working with the Youngkin Administration this September on the implementation of a menhaden study that would fill in gaps in the data about the impact of the reduction fishery on Bay health and sport-fish populations.
Virginia continues to be the only East Coast state allowing reduction fishing of menhaden—a practice where millions of pounds of these forage fish are turned into fishmeal, fish oil, fertilizer, or similar products—in its waters.
Learn more about the recreational fishing community’s push for better management of menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico.
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.
