Five to be enshrined into IGFA Hall of Fame

Sixth annual Rolex sponsored event honors contributions to the sport of fishing

DANIA BEACH, Fla --- Five men will be inducted into the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame, this fall.  The class of 2004 includes Walter W. Fondren, III, Peter Goadby, Frank J. Mather, III, Ray W. Scott, Jr. and Mark Sosin.  

Sponsored by Rolex, the star-studded enshrinement ceremony and dinner will be held Tuesday, October 26, at 6 p.m. at the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Dania Beach, Fla. The public is invited.            

Each year the honorees are selected for the important contributions they have made to the sport of fishing through angling achievements, literature, the arts, science, education, invention, communication, or administration of fishery resources.

  The inductees and their contributions are:  

Walter W. Fondren, III  
         One of the founding members of the Gulf Coast Conservation Association in 1977, Fondren remains chairman of the non-profit Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) which has tens of thousands of members in 15 coastal states and has played a major role in the conservation of U.S. marine fishery sources.  

Peter Goadby  
                      Devoted to conservation and ethics in fishing, Goadby was instrumental in the development of the Cairns giant black marlin fishery and with the introduction of tag-and-release fishing in Australia. A well-known author and lecturer, he was the first to land a shark and a marlin each over 1,000 lbs.  

Frank J. Mather, III 
               Mather, who died in 2000, dedicated his life to the study of large pelagic fishes, particularly the Atlantic bluefin tuna.  Based at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, he designed the dart tag and originated the Cooperative Game Fish Tagging Program in 1954, the first active conservation measure for the bluefin.  

Ray W. Scott, Jr.  
                  In 1968 Scott turned a vision into the 600,000 Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), spawning internationally what is today a multi-billion dollar bass fishing industry. He's credited with establishing the rules of competitive bass fishing and was the first to promote catch-and-release in major tournaments.  

Mark Sosin     
                       Sosin's credits span all phases of outdoor communications: he is an award-winning writer, photographer, radio personality, and host for 20 years of TV's "Mark Sosin's Saltwater Journal."  Considered a fishing authority, he also teaches seminars and clinics and serves as a consultant to industry and government.                                                

Joining Andy Mill on stage as the masters of ceremonies will be Roland Martin who was inducted in the 2003 IGFA Hall of Fame enshrinement class with Curt Gowdy, Lefty Kreh, Billy Pate, Sir Garrick Agnew and Henry Lyman.  There are currently 50 Hall of Fame members enshrined including Ernest Hemingway, Zane Grey, Michael and Helen Lerner, Philip Wylie and Ted Williams.

  The evening will include a cocktail reception, silent auction, the induction ceremony and dinner. Special sponsorships and sponsor tables are available. For reservation information please call 954-924-4222.   

The IGFA is a nonprofit, membership-supported, conservation and record-keeping organization founded in 1939 with members in over 120 countries. The association welcomes visitors to the 60,000 square foot IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Dania Beach, Florida. For further information, contact Mike Myatt at the International Game Fish Association, 300 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, Florida 33004   Email: mmyatt@igfa.org, Phone (954) 927-2628 Fax (954) 924-4299.   

Source: igfa.org (2004-08-10)