Birmingham, Ala. – Scott Sewell of the Maryland B.A.S.S. Nation and Dave Terre from the Texas B.A.S.S. Nation were recognized as Conservation Directors of the Year (CDOY) at the biennial 2024 B.A.S.S. Conservation Summit held in conjunction with the recent Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors, held March 22-24 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“Our state Conservation Directors are anglers first,” explained Gene Gilliland, B.A.S.S. National Conservation Director. “But in addition to having a love of the sport of bass fishing, they are dedicated to protecting the aquatic resources of which the sport depends.”
In nearly two decades of volunteer service as the Maryland B.A.S.S. Nation Conservation Director, Scott Sewell has been a champion for bass fishing on his home waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Sewell has been a watchdog, looking out for water quality and reporting pollution issues to the authorities. He has been engaged with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) for several years and was appointed to the Black Bass Advisory Committee in 2016. Scott’s passion for conservation can be exemplified in fighting for answers following fish kills in the 2010s and working with MDNR to initiate a stocking project for the Middle River. He secured grants to supplement local donations, purchased adult bass, recruited volunteers, and turned it into a model program for the state. He has been an active participant in conservation projects in other parts of the state including the first-of-its-kind artificial reef at Smoots Bay on the Potomac River and redistributing fish following weigh-ins of upper Chesapeake Bay tournaments. When the bass population on the Potomac River began to diminish, he was among those to first identify things tournaments could do to protect the fishery, lending his on-screen talents to a series of bass conservation videos that are now required watching for tournament directors permitted in the state. In July 2023, Scott was awarded a certificate from the MDNR Secretary acknowledging his eight years of service with the department’s Black Bass Advisory Committee.
Retired Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) fisheries biologist and administrator Dave Terre took on the role as the Texas B.A.S.S. Nation’s Conservation Director and hit the ground running. In just a few short years Terre has made an impact by tackling the “fun” part of the job – obtaining grants from AFTCO and the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame to help fund habitat enhancement projects on Texas reservoirs. These projects required Terre to work closely with former colleagues at TPWD and coordinate volunteers to assist with construction and placement of artificial and natural habitat structures. Grants that Terre obtained were often used as matching funds to leverage additional state and federal dollars, creating larger, more impactful projects. From installation of PVC “Georgia Cubes” and Mossback Fish Habitats, to planting native aquatic vegetation and installing gravel reefs, these projects will benefit Texas anglers for many years. To make sure that his corps of volunteers feel appreciated, Terre gave out thank-you items and often prepared an outstanding lunch. Dave is also not afraid to tackle the not-so-fun part of the job as CD – politics. He has spoken on behalf of the Texas B.A.S.S. Nation and the state’s bass anglers before the TPWD Commission, and most recently spoke to the state legislature in an effort to preserve public access to an iconic trophy bass lake. Terre keeps anglers in Texas abreast of projects and politics through regular interaction on social media via the Texas B.A.S.S. Nation Facebook page.
“I personally want to congratulate Scott and Dave for their enthusiasm and leadership,” said Gilliland. “The Maryland and Texas B.A.S.S. Nations should be proud to have such great examples of what a volunteer can accomplish when they have that passion to make fishing better for the anglers of their state.”
About B.A.S.S.: The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) serves a growing community of anglers by fueling a passion for fishing through education, inspiration, and conservation, and helping to define the culture and the lifestyle surrounding the sport.
About B.A.S.S. Conservation: Our mission is to preserve and protect America’s waters, to champion scientific fishery management, habitat protection and enhancement, sensible aquatic vegetation management, invasive species control, protect angler access, and promote the latest tournament fish care protocols, for the continuing benefit of all who love to fish.
