Igfa: The World Authority For Recreational Fishing
The most prominent authority on angling is the International Game Fish Association, also called IGFA. They also keep the most up-to-date world records for fishing catches, depending on the category of fish. IGFA usually institutes stringent rules to ensure fair play among angling enthusiasts. For these hobbyists, it is a great honor to be listed in IGFA’s annual publication: The World Record Game Fishes. This publication also publishes tips for fishing. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive identification guide for fish. The IGFA is also passionate about conservation of aquatic resources, and they enlist the help of biologists worldwide for conservation efforts.
IGFA believes that game fishes, food fishes, and their habitats are assets to the world that should be conserved and used widely. They also believe that angling is an important activity that contributes knowledge to the public about sporting and practices geared toward conservation. Their objectives and projects have not changed for many years, but they have been brought to the attention of a much larger audience of angling enthusiasts.
This association also has records for fly fishing, saltwater, and freshwater catches, to name a few. To maintain the credibility of these records, a set of regulations regarding equipment and fishing practices are constantly created and updated. This helps for establishing uniform guidelines to govern world record catches, tournaments, and other activities.
The IGFA has a museum that showcases fishes that have earned world records over the years. Walking through the museum will give you a feeling of being underwater. Suspended overhead are over 170 species of game fish, together with the date they were caught, where they were caught, and the angler who caught them. The largest exhibit was a great white shark caught by Alfred Dean in Australia in 1959. It weighs 2,664 pounds.
To address the need for a repository of literature about angling, the E.K. Harry Library was constructed. It houses a comprehensive collection of films, art, artifacts, and photographs about angling, game fish, and other subjects that maybe of interest to hobbyists.
As part of conservation efforts, IGFA engages in continuous research and supported scientific tagging of species, as well as other programs designed to collect data. They work closely with biologists concerned with fishery to respond to the particular needs of conservation.
Before enacting or implementing laws regarding fishing, the IGFA is often consulted. The association also ensures fair representation for the angler in decisions that have something to do with managing the populations of game fish all over the world, among other issues that have an impact on recreational fishing.
IGFA began in 1939 as a response to the need for a universal code of ethics for anglers. In the late 1930s, the British Tunny Club was the first to institute an association of marine anglers worldwide, but it was discontinued because of the war. At around the same time, Micheal Lerner, Dr. William King Gregory, and Clive Firth heard about the British Tunny Club’s plans, thought it was a great idea, and solicited support from companies, fishing clubs, and outstanding anglers. Finally, in June 7, 1939, IGFA held its first meeting in the American Museum of Natural History. Later on, IGFA president E.K. Harry proposed opening the association to individual membership ensure that funds that flow into the association is continuous. Finally, record-keeping rights were turned over in 1978 by a magazine called Field & Stream. Thus, the IGFA as the world knows today was born.
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