Orlando, FL – July 16, 2025 – Today, the American Sportfishing Association honored actor and philanthropist, Steve Harvey, with the inaugural ASA Impact Award in recognition of his efforts to bring new folks to the sport of fishing. The award was presented during the State of the Industry Breakfast at the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) in Orlando, FL.
Best known for his decades in the entertainment industry, Mr. Harvey and his wife Marjorie have introduced countless young men and women to fishing through their foundation, the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation. The Atlanta-based charity provides youth outreach services to help cultivate the next generation of leaders and has contributed more than $700,000 for scholarships.
“It is an honor to recognize Mr. Harvey for his foundation’s efforts to introduce young people to fishing through the Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation,” said Glenn Hughes, President and CEO of the American Sportfishing Association. “Fishing teaches critical life skills and Steve’s work is sculpting the next generation of leaders both on and off the water.”
According to a 2024 report, 87% of adult anglers started fishing before the age of 12. The foundation creates lifelong anglers by connecting vulnerable youth with mentors through the Steve Harvey Mentoring Program and Marjorie Harvey Girls Who Rule the World initiatives at his Legacy Ranch property, which is home to multiple lakes and trophy-sized fish.
The Impact Award was established to recognize leaders in the world of recreational fishing who enact lasting change through their efforts to grow the sport and share the mental and physical benefits of angling.
ICAST is the largest sportfishing trade show in the world. More than 10,000 industry professionals from dozens of countries make the trip to Orlando each July for the annual gathering.
The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association committed to representing the interests of the sportfishing and boating industries as well as the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry and anglers a unified voice when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. ASA invests in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous, as well as safeguard and promote the enduring economic, conservation and social values of sportfishing in America. ASA also gives America’s 57.7 million anglers a voice in policy decisions that affect their ability to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways through Keep America Fishing, our national angler advocacy campaign. America’s anglers generate more than $50 billion in retail sales with a $230.5 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for 1.1 million people.
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