New Junior Ranger Activity Book Encourages Kids to Go Fish

Date: June 1, 2018
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior along with the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will publish a new free booklet to help kids get hooked on fishing. Starting June 2, aspiring anglers can download the Junior Ranger “Let’s Go Fishing!” activity booklet, which will introduce them and their families to fishing and encourage healthy and responsible outdoor recreation.

“The Junior Ranger fishing booklet is a great tool to inspire future anglers to get out on the waters and enjoy the American pastime of fishing,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “Fishing in the rivers and lakes of Montana as a kid instilled in me a lifelong love of the sport.”

In the coming weeks, kids can pick up a print version of the booklet, funded in part by the National Park Foundation, at more than 500 national parks, national wildlife refuges, and national fish hatcheries that offer fishing. Upon completion of the booklet, kids will be sworn in as Junior Ranger Anglers and receive a National Park Service or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service junior ranger badge.

“This booklet offers great opportunities to get kids and families outdoors, where they can make memories and enjoy the benefits of outdoor recreation together,” said National Park Service Deputy Director Dan Smith. “The activities encourage safe and enjoyable fishing experiences and promote the conservation of native fish and their habitats.”

“Teaching a child to fish gives him or her an outdoor skill that can bring a lifetime of pleasure,” said Cynthia Martinez, chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System, part of the Fish and Wildlife Service. “There are hundreds of national wildlife refuges and other public lands across the country — in both urban and rural communities — which are great places to fish, and this booklet will tell you all you need to enjoy them.”

“Discover the fun of sharing a fishing adventure with your friends and family,” said National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth. “Thanks to the support of generous National Park Foundation donors, this new book inspires people of all ages to get out and fish.”

For more information about the Junior Ranger “Let’s Go Fishing!” program or to download a copy of the booklet, visit www.nps.gov/subjects/fishing/. Visit www.fws.gov/refuges/kids/jrrangers for a list of the national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries participating in the program.

The Junior Ranger Angler program is one of more than 300 Junior Ranger programs in the Department of the Interior. Each is an intergenerational learning program that focuses on a site or theme tied to public lands. These activity books encourage young explorers to protect public lands, learn about the outdoors, and share their experiences with friends and family.