THE
FRONT PAGE educational focus
To learn is to adapt , grow and thrive
By Steven Bardin and Gary Klein
PHOTOS BY MLF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT DIVISION
THE PAST THREE ISSUES , WE ’ VE DEVOTED THIS SPACE to a deeper dive into the Major League Fishing Fisheries Management Division ’ s ( FMD ) four pillars of focus .
First , we covered the subject of fisheries enhancement , which included an overview of why improving habitat is a fundamental part of our conservation focus ( plus a look at our 2021 artificial habitat projects in North Carolina and Tennessee ). The next issue we looked at our current and future emphasis on research , specifically how we use the angler data from the Bass Pro Tour events and our DNA collection for the MLF Lunker Bass Initiative . Finally , in the last issue , we tackled the evolution of fish care and the different components of handling a fish from both the angler ’ s and the league ’ s perspective .
We ’ ll finish the series by looking at our educational pillar .
driven by the desire to learn
A core characteristic of successful anglers is a desire to constantly learn and improve . MLF , being an anglerdriven league , understands this desire and focuses on providing educational resources to all our fans . Education really is the core of the content available at MajorLeagueFishing . com , within each issue of Bass Fishing magazine , and in our television and live stream products .
As we planned the launch of the Fisheries Management Division , we knew we would devote a large part of our focus to creating educational material and opportunities . Luckily for us , we had the chance to test out some of our ideas well before the FMD existed .
In the inaugural season of the Bass Pro Tour at Stage Six on Table Rock Lake , we hosted a three-day conservation-themed booth where fans – specifically young anglers – got to experience firsthand our immersive educational opportunities . We had four stations at this booth devoted to external fish anatomy , black bass identification , spotting where zebra mussel larva can live on a boat and paddlefish management .
The kids were given handouts designed specifically for them and they were then free to explore each one of the activates to learn and ask questions from our volunteers . Volunteering at this booth were our MLF staff and anglers , along with four biologists from Missouri Department of Conservation .
Adults entering the booth were able to meet one-on-one with their local MDC biologist and discuss Table Rock Lake management strategies .
Fast-forward to today and we see this as our model for future in-person MLF events . It allows us to be part of the process of helping kids become engaged in building a passion for our fisheries resources while also allowing our fans the ability to interact at the local level with the professionals that manage the fisheries within their area .
12 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | DECEMBER-JANUARY 2022