Important Message from President and CEO Patrick Berry March 16, 2020
Dear Fly Fishers International Community,
As all of us strive to navigate the challenges presented to our communities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fly Fishers International recognizes we are facing some important decisions. The Executive Committee of the FFI Board of Directors convened a special meeting on March 16th to determine appropriate action regard to the 2020 FFI International Fly Fishing Expo scheduled to take place in Bozeman, MT in July of 2020, as well as review additional guidance for members, clubs, and councils.
Regarding the Expo, the Executive Committee voted unanimously to postpone the event until next year, a decision made using guidance from the CDC and other health experts. FFI values the health and well-being of our members and broader fly fishing community, and we simply do not want to add risks associated with convening hundreds of people from around the world until we have a better understanding of the challenges ahead. This decision does provide us with a great opportunity to focus our planning efforts on a new regional model for the Expo to begin taking place in 2021. The goal is to bring the FFI Expo experience to you!
In your own community, we encourage our members, clubs, and councils to evaluate planned meetings and events, and any risk posed to attendees. When making decisions, we recommend using the following guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html
Unless absolutely necessary, and due to the stringent nature of the current CDC guidance, we would nevertheless recommend that you to postpone, reschedule, or cancel upcoming events, including all Casting Instructor Certification Program events worldwide. We will continue to re-evaluate future scheduling and provide updates on CDC guidelines as they evolve.
One thing we would strongly encourage: go fishing. There aren’t many better ways to exercise the practice of “social distancing,” and it will take your mind away from the turmoil we are currently facing. In the meantime, take the right precautions to keep you and your family healthy, and let’s hope the crisis subsides in the months to come.
Sincerely,
Patrick H. Berry
President and CEO