Brooklyn Center, Minnesota-Wildlife Forever is pleased to announce a partnership with RapalaŽ and the State Fish Art Contest. A recent donation of fishing gear from Rapala included rod and reel combos and fishing lures to be handed out to the winners of the national art contest during the Eleventh annual State Fish Art Expo, August 1, 2009 in Bloomington, Minnesota.

President Obama recently released a Presidential Memorandum that orders the development of a national ocean policy that could lead to marine zoning. The memorandum calls for a new interagency task force, headed by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), to develop within 90 days a set of recommendations for a national ocean policy.

Alexandria, VA ? June 24, 2009 ? For the first time in more than 10 years, the world?s largest sportfishing trade show will head to Orlando, Fla., located in the heart of the powerful Southeastern sportfishing market. From July 15-17, the global sportfishing industry will converge on the Orange County Convention Center for the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST. Produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the sportfishing industry?s trade association, ICAST represents the cornerstone of the sportfishing industry, helping to drive sportfishing companies? product sales year round.

Two individuals recently arrested for lobster poaching in the San Diego, California area have been sentenced to jail time. The arrests, though unrelated, both involved repeat offenders - one of whom gained international media attention in 2007 for attempting to hide six poached lobsters in his pants.

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is seeking nominations for a new citizen advisory board responsible for reviewing plans to improve sport fishing opportunities for salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin.

The greatest shark tagging event ever held in Scotland, the UK and probably in the world - was the overall verdict of those who took part in last weekend's Sharkatag organised by the Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network (www.ssacn.org).