The FishAmerica Foundation is the 2008 recipient of a $5,000 conservation grant from Johnson Outdoors in honor of the Samuel C. Johnson Fishing Journalist of the Year award. The award was presented to renowned angler and journalist Homer Circle of Ocala, Fla., during ICAST 2008, the sportfishing industry's trade show held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, July 16-18, produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA).
Circle was selected based on his half-century of contributions to the fishing industry through journalism, conservation and philanthropic leadership. For 35 years Circle was angling editor for Sports Afield Magazine and at age 93 he continues to write a monthly column for Bassmaster Magazine. Uncle Homer, as he's widely and affectionately known, is a former Arkansas Game and Fish Commissioner and past president of the Outdoor Writers Association. Circle has reported on and promoted competitive bass fishing since Ray Scott's first B.A.S.S. tournaments and has been inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and the International Game Fish Hall of Fame. In 1996, Circle received the American Sportfishing Association's Lifetime Achievement Award.
"We are so pleased that Johnson Outdoors has once again selected FishAmerica as the recipient of its $5,000 grant in the award recipient's name," said Johanna Laderman, executive director of FishAmerica. "Johnson Outdoors' commitment to the sport of fishing and conservation and to the important role writers and editors play in promoting outdoor activities is evident through this award."
The FishAmerica Foundation will use the Johnson Outdoors donation for the FishAmerica Gulf Fund, established in 2005 to restore Gulf Coast sportfisheries and fishing access facilities. The Gulf Fund provides grants to community-based sportfishing and conservation organizations to help restore sportfish populations, their habitats and fishing facilities.
The Samuel C. Johnson Fishing Journalist of the Year award is named for Sam Johnson, founder of Johnson Outdoors and a successful entrepreneur and outdoor enthusiast. The award was created to recognize and encourage the efforts of the most prominent and respected journalists in the fishing industry. Previous Johnson Journalists of the Year are Al Lindner and Jerry Gibbs.
