How new AFFTA partnership offers sustainability solutions to membership

The trade body that represents the fly fishing trade in the US has announced a partnership with a company that advises businesses on their sustainability performance.

The American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) has teamed up with Emerger Strategies, a sustainable business consultancy, to deliver ‘green’ education and resources for its members on climate mitigation.

“AFFTA represents the community of fly fishing businesses aligned around the sustainable growth of the industry, a commitment to conservation and policies that support a thriving trade,” said the association’s Executive Director, Lucas Bissett.

“As a demonstration of AFFTA’s commitment to growth, conservation and political advocacy, the trade association is adding to its numerous member benefits with an educational webinar series focused on sustainability.”

Through the AFFTA Fisheries Fund, it recently released the ‘For Tomorrow’s Fish: Anglers are the Key to Climate-Resilient Fisheries Report’, which outlines how the changing climate poses unparalleled threats to the ocean’s ability to regulate itself and, by extension, support healthy and abundant fisheries.

Following the For Tomorrow’s Fish report and AFFTA’s commitment, it is now providing its membership with a series of webinars and educational resources provided by Emerger Strategies to help its members measure and improve their sustainability performance, such as: completing a sustainability assessment, how to measure its members Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions, and strategies for reducing its members harmful greenhouse gas emissions. 

Bissett added: “AFFTA is continuously looking for new benefits for its members, so with that in mind, bringing in Emerger Strategies as a partner was a logical next step. Helping the fly fishing industry adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change on their businesses is exactly the type of innovation we want to foster.”

Emerger Strategies President Rick Crawford said: “Because fly fishing guides, retailers and brands are solely dependent upon healthy fisheries, and climate change is the single greatest threat to our fisheries, it makes sense for AFFTA members to demonstrate their leadership through reducing the amount of greenhouse gases they emit. We are proud to serve the American Fly Fishing Trade Association and thrilled to see them lead by example.”