Sportfishing Industry Hosts 63 Trash Cleanups During National Fishing & Boating Week

Last week, as part of National Fishing & Boating Week 2026, the sportfishing industry coalesced around a single goal – pick up trash along our favorite local waterways and improve fishing for America’s 57 million anglers. As part of this inaugural effort, known as the Million Pound Challenge, 31 companies and state fisheries management agencies hosted over 63 cleanups across the country, removing debris from rivers, lakes and beaches.
The American Sportfishing Association staff spent last Thursday at Fletcher’s Cove in Washington, D.C., where we collected over 500 lbs. of trash from the banks of the Potomac River. Organized cleanups will continue throughout the summer as we work together to reach our goal.