Latinos are California’s largest ethnic population, with almost 15 million people of Hispanic heritage. Yet only a fraction of California’s nearly 1.8 million anglers are Hispanic. CDFW and RBFF are finding new ways to educate and engage Hispanic communities in fishing and boating activities. These grants were made available for programs that support this cause.

Projects approved for funding include:

Hispanic Access Foundation ($16,560) – This grant will fund four high impact, high visibility fishing outings for families in Los Angeles and San Diego during Latino Conservation Week and Hispanic Heritage Month. The Hispanic Access Foundation will coordinate four outings to teach multi-generational families basic fishing instruction, water safety and hands-on conservation and aquatic stewardship activities. The program is designed to build familiarity with local fishing locations, foster meaningful relationships with fishing and environmental resource experts and teach ethical angling practices and good stewardship toward California’s aquatic resources.

East Bay Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundation ($5,025) – This grant will fund activities to introduce fishing to mainly Spanish-speaking families for the first time. The program will provide fishing licenses, teach angling skills, familiarize participants with local fishing access, convey the importance of safety and conservation, and provide instruction on cooking their catch.

Grant funding was made available through the George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund, which supports RBFF’s Hispanic initiative, Vamos A Pescar™. The Education Fund allows state agencies to provide sub-grants to local 501(c)(3) organizations with project ideas that support efforts to keep future generations educated about the joys of fishing and boating and the importance of conservation. With the help of donations from companies and organizations, the Education Fund has continued to grow and expand nationally.

To be eligible for funding, proposals were required to encourage family participation (both genders and multiple generations), appeal to participants who live in metropolitan communities, be ethnically inclusive (open to families of all races and ethnicities) and provide hands-on experiences and conservation activities.