Investing in the Future of Fishing
Join ASA and industry leaders as the Million Pound Challenge kicks off June 6.
Volunteers gather at a lakeside cleanup site — scenes like this will play out at waterways across the country June 6–14.
We’ve all seen it. You’re scouting the shoreline for that perfect cast or backing your trailer down the ramp when the view is interrupted: plastic bottles, discarded cans, tangled bags, and cigarette butts. It’s a frustratingly familiar sight. Aquatic pollution is a direct threat to the water quality and wildlife populations of every lake, river, and ocean in the country.
“Without clean waterways, we don’t have healthy fish populations. Without healthy fish populations, we don’t have an industry.”— Glenn Hughes, President, American Sportfishing Association
To turn the tide, the American Sportfishing Association has launched the Million Pound Challenge — a nationwide initiative to remove one million pounds of trash from U.S. waterways. The inaugural event runs during National Fishing and Boating Week, June 6–14, 2026.
Clean water is the foundation of the sportfishing community — which is why industry leaders Okuma, PRADCO, Hobie Eyewear, Fishbrain, Gill North America, AFTCO, FishUSA, Reel Guppy Outdoors, Z-Man Baits, and Seaguar have already pledged to join the challenge.
“As leaders in the sport fishing industry, we feel it’s our duty to demonstrate stewardship of our natural resources.”— Bruce Stanton, VP of Fishing, PRADCO Outdoors
Getting involved is straightforward: select a date between June 6–14, choose your location, and organize your team. ASA has partnered with Fishbrain to track the total debris collected, with a public leaderboard displaying top participants.
Choose a cleanup date between June 6–14, select a local waterway, rally your team — and get out there. Full planning resources, registration, and the live leaderboard are available at the Million Pound Challenge webpage.
Recreational fishing has been a cornerstone of American life for 250 years. As the nation marks its semiquincentennial, the Million Pound Challenge is a commitment to ensuring our waters remain vibrant and healthy for the next 250 years.
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