The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is working hard to pre-sell the minimum 1,000 Specialty Smallmouth Bass license tags.
Bobby Wilson, TWRA's Asst. Chief of Fisheries says, "as of today (3/10) we are up to 464 (sold). Last week at this time we were around 370, so things are really picking up. However, we don't want the public to think that it is a done deal. We're only halfway there so we still have an uphill battle."
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The Agency has until June 30 to reach 1,000 or the Smallmouth Bass plate won't be approved. Of course the Legislature just last year voted to make the Smallmouth Bass Tennessee's official "State Sport Fish."
Just like the popular bluebird, bear, and turkey plates, the smallmouth bass plate will cost $35 above the regular cost of registering your vehicle. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these plates will go toward the management and protection of Tennessee's wildlife (both game and non-game species) and their habitats. The "Watchable Wildlife" plate, the familiar bluebird, will still be available with proceeds from that plate continuing to go into an endowment fund for the management of Tennessee's non-game and endangered wildlife.
Although the Legislature approved the effort for the Smallmouth plate last summer, TWRA has just recently started an intensive marketing campaign to try and reach the goal before June 30.
Wilson said, "we are really pushing the plate a lot harder now. I'm
sure you've seen the new Fishing Guide (which features information about the new plate)."
The new plate, along with the other wildlife plates, is designed to give people another choice as well as to allow them to support wildlife programs other than non-game. Art for the smallmouth bass license plate is from a print titled Sunlight on Bronze by renowned artist Al Agnew.
TWRA's website says, "We have until June 30, 2006 to pre-sell the plates and unless 1,000 people indicate that they will buy the new smallmouth bass plate, it will not be produced. You can show your support for Tennessee's fisheries programs by helping guarantee this new plate will be produced. People who pre-order will be assigned plates first so this is a way for you to get a plate with a low number. We cannot guarantee a specific number to any purchaser.
*NOTE: If for some reason we do not sell the minimum number of plates by June 30, 2006, you will be notified and your money will be refunded."