Georgia Sees the Value in Supporting Fishing

The Go Fish Georgia Professional Anglers Association will host a championship fishing tournament at Lake Lanier Islands Resort, northeast of Atlanta, in early November. The event will offer $1 million in prize money with $250,000 going to the winning four-man team. Georgia's governor, Gov. Sonny Perdue, has allocated $19 million in state funds to implement an initiative to promote fishing tourism in the state.

An estimated 1.5 million Georgians fish every year with an economic impact of $1.5 billion for the state. I applaud the governor and the state of Georgia for recognizing the impact of fishing to the economy as well as just providing a great quality-of-life recreational activity for so many people.