Through the Lens

Whac-A-Mussel; Whac-A-Carp

Wed, February 22, 2012

As an outdoor communicator I never cease to be amazed at some of the new product press releases I receive, but seriously - Whac-A-Mussel? However as silly as it may sound, this looks to be a fun way to educate folks about the dangers of invasive species to our waters and fisheries.

Whac-A-Mussel Launches at BASSMASTER Classic

It’s no fun when invasive species like zebra mussels, Eurasian water milfoil, or Asian Carp show up in a new body of water. But beating them back is a blast with the new game, “Whac-A-Mussel,” which launches February 24-26 at the BASSMASTER Classic Expo presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The game plays just like the arcade classic Whac-A-Mole, but fiberglass zebra mussel caricatures pop up the holes and people “mash the mussels” to demonstrate their disdain for the mollusk invaders. At the same time, anglers learn lessons about how they can “Inspect - Clean - Dry” to stop the spread of not just invasive mussels, but all sorts of aquatic nuisance species.

“Invasive species education is critical,” said Teeg Stouffer, Recycled Fish Executive Director. “But it can be kind of dry and boring. Just say the words ‘Invasive Species Education’ to people and watch their eyes glaze over. This is a learning tool that is fun, dynamic, engaging and interactive - it cuts through the clutter. We’re excited to introduce Whac-A-Mussel at the BASSMASTER Classic!”

Whac-A-Mussel is made possible through the partnership support of DICK’S Sporting Goods, The Mississippi River Basin Panel and Fishhound with Recycled Fish and Clean Angling.

The fight against invaders doesn’t stop with the game, however.

National Invasive Species Awareness Week kicks off Feb 26, and the Classic serves as the the “pre-party.” There, Recycled Fish is also launching its new 1 Million Stewards program. After playing the game, visitors can take the Sportsman’s Stewardship
Pledge and receive a special Stewardship Kit. The kit includes a shoreline cleanup bag, a booklet on how to live as a steward every day, and a special insert that specifically addresses fighting invasive species through the sport of fishing.

To extend the impact beyond the visitors at the BASSMASTER Classic, Fishhound ( http://www.fishhound.com) will launch a new column featuring a 10-week educational series specifically focused on invasive species.

“Look forward to crazy stories about some of the most interesting people and fishing opportunities in North America,” said Jon Storm, Fishhound Content Director. “Each story will land back at how we fight invasive species, but these are surprising stories that will get people fired up.”

For more on Recycled Fish and its work to engage, educate and equip anglers to be stewards of our waters, visit http://www.RecycledFish.org

For more on National Invasive Species Awareness Week, visit http://NISAW.org.

The new Common Waters column goes live this week at http://www.fishhound.com.

Funding for the project also comes from the Mississippi River Basin Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species: http://www.MRBP.org.

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