Angler Bill Shedd To Be Honored For His Sportfishing Contributions
The following press release is courtesy of the Coastal Conservation Association of California:
CCA California and the Sportfishing Community Will Honor Bill Shedd’s Lifetime of Dedication to Marine Conservation and Angler Access on August 3, 2023
The Coastal Conservation Association of California (CCA CAL) is set to honor and celebrate a true icon of the sportfishing and marine conservation communities—Bill Shedd, CEO of AFTCO and chairman of the CCA CAL State Board of Directors—at on August 3, 2023, starting at 5 p.m.
CCA CAL, the sportfishing community, and family and friends will honor and present Shedd with the 2023 Anthony Hsieh Conservation Award for his lifelong passion, advocacy and tireless work on behalf of ocean conservancy and recreational fishing access. The gala evening will include a cocktail reception at the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute on San Diego’s Mission Bay, followed by dinner and the award ceremony at nearby SeaWorld.
“The Anthony Hsieh Conservation Award is CCA CAL’s highest honor, presented to an individual who has supported sportfishing in California, and has made meaningful contributions toward the protection, restoration, and enhancement of our marine resources,” said Doug Lasko, president of CCA CAL, as well as Okuma Fishing Tackle. “No one fits this persona more than the living legend and visionary, Bill Shedd.”
For over 30 years, Bill has volunteered and devoted an enormous amount of his time, energy and financial resources toward marine conservation and recreational fishing industry issues, while also running one of the most successful sportfishing-oriented business in the world—AFTCO.
Bill is a founding member of the non-profit CCA CAL—the only state-wide organization fighting for anglers’ rights—and has served as board chairman since its inception in 2015.
He is also chairman of the Hubbs/SeaWorld Research Institute, and serves on the board of directors of the Center for Sportfishing Policy (CSP), International Game Fish Association (IGFA), and the California Artificial Reef Enhancement program.
In addition to all of this, Bill served for seven years on the board of directors for the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), and as chairman of the ASA Government Affairs Committee for over 25 years. He was the co-founder of United Anglers of Southern California (UASC), where he led that group’s efforts to develop the white seabass grow out facilities to support the hatchery program. Bill also played a pivotal role with UASC in the successful effort to ban inshore set gillnets in California state ocean waters through the passage of Proposition 132 in 1990, now a state constitutional amendment.
In 1989 Shedd started the AFTCO Tag Flag program in both the Atlantic and Pacific, which for 18 years played a major role in increasing awareness of and participation in tag and release sportfishing. He also served on the board of United Sport Fishermen, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, and on the NOAA Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee.
Bill’s work has brought him worldwide accolades and recognition, including the ASA Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the ASA Hall of Fame. What’s more, he was honored with the IGFA Conservation Award, and just this year was inducted into the IGFA Hall of Fame. And the list on honors goes on, including the CSP Eddie Smith Manufacturer of the Year Award, the UASC Bill Ray Memorial Award, the California Outdoor Writers Association Man of the Year Award, Bill Poole Memorial Award, and the Motor Boating Magazine Best of the Year Award. Bill was also asked in 2018 to be the keynote speaker at the NOAA Fisheries and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission National Recreational Fisheries Summit.
“There’s yet one more honor to bestow,” said Lasko. “And it promises to cap off one of the biggest evenings in the history of the California sportfishing community.
“Please plan to join me, CCA CAL members, leaders in the sportfishing community, and the Shedd family on August 3, 2023, as we honor Bill’s incredible life of selfless dedication and achievements with the 2023 Anthony Hsieh Conservation Award.”
Festivities will start with a cocktail reception at 5 p.m. Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute
with dinner at 6:30 p.m. at SeaWorld Cost is $175 per person with a variety of sponsorship opportunities available. Tickets and sponsorship can be purchased online at ccacalifornia.org/2023-cca-conservation-dinner. Alternatively, RSVP to Tim Manaka at timm@fia-insurance.com.
