A member of The Fisherman staff since 1976, Fred Golofaro served as associate editor, managing editor, associate publisher, publisher, and most recently as senior editor. Along with his responsibilities at the magazine, Fred also managed lengthy stints as a light tackle charter boat captain on Great South Bay and was one of the first in the modern era to guide anglers in the New York surf on Long Island.
Fred Golofaro was heavily involved in the fishing community for nearly four decades, serving on numerous federal, state and county advisory boards overseeing fisheries management and fishing access issues. He was an original member of the South Shore Estuary Preserve Committee, developed and managed The Fisherman’s Send A Kid Fishing and Build A Reef funds, established youth fishing camps in conjunction with Sea Grant, was a governor’s nominee to the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and was instrumental in development of the Robert Sweeney Sportfishing Center, Green Island Access Area and Jones Beach Construction Dock Fishing Site.
Over the years, Fred also served as director of numerous fishing tournaments throughout Long Island, conducted hundreds of seminars and lectures on all aspects of saltwater fishing, and hosted a News 12 Fishing Long Island TV show as well as radio fishing reports for WBAB and WCBS. He previously served as outdoor columnist for the NY Daily News, and has been featured in both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. He also co-authored several fishing books and is the author of Fishing Long Island Guide Book.
An active member of the Metropolitan Outdoor Press Association and New York State Outdoor Writers Association, and a charter member of the Long Island Outdoor Communicators Network, Fred Golofaro was honored by the Coastal Conservation Association with its Friend of Fisheries Conservation Award, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Casting For Recovery, was made an honorary member of the Long Island Beach Buggy Association, and was most recently awarded a 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award by organizers of the Manhattan Cup. In 2011, Fred was also inducted into the New York State Outdoorsman Hall of Fame.
A GoFundMe page has been established to help the family pay for burial costs.