ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Contributions made by Wal-Mart BFL anglers will lead directly to a future fishery enhancement project on the Arkansas River. Donations totaling $12,723 are being funneled into a program that will stock 500,000 largemouth bass into Arkansas’ biggest watershed leading to the Mississippi River.
According to Mike Gibson, Arkansas Fish Chief, a major hatchery renovation is underway in Hot Springs. The BFL members’ donations, along with state funds, will be allocated by the FishAmerica Foundation to the critical stocking program, which will introduce largemouth bass from the hatchery to 10 locations along the Arkansas River in 2002. The money will be made available for the transportation of the fish and to purchase food for the brood stock.
“(The BFL) loyal members, who are steadfastly committed to habitat preservation and improvement, donated this money at Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League tournaments held nationwide,” said Tom Marshall, managing director of the Alexandria, Virginia-based FishAmerica Foundation. “Importantly, the grassroots sporting clubs along the Arkansas River are also eager participants in this project.
“We especially want to thank Charlie Hoover, president of FLW Outdoors, and Mike McFadden, vice president of Wal-Mart, for their outstanding work on behalf of our nation’s fisheries resources.”
For more information on the FishAmerica Foundation, visit the American Sportfishing Association Web site at asafishing.org.