For Immediate Release
September 13, 2020
Peterborough, ON: Directors of the Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association and the Canadian National Sportfishing Foundation are pleased to announce that Phil Morlock has been appointed Director of Government Affairs for both organizations, effective September 1st, 2020.
Phil Morlock recently retired from Shimano after an outstanding career of 29 years as its Vice President of Government Affairs/Advocacy for both Canada and the USA.
For close to 20 years, Morlock has been Chair of the CSIA/CNSF Government Affairs Team. Phil was instrumental in helping to create the Canadian Parliamentary Outdoor Caucus in Ottawa, a non-partisan association of Members of Parliament that shares a passion for recreational fishing, hunting, trapping and shooting sports. He is currently Chair of the Parliamentary Outdoor Caucus Association and in that role, he regularly updates the Caucus members on key issues that affect the recreational fishing industry.
Phil has also been responsible in warning the industry of major threats to recreational fishing access spreading from California into Canadian waters, beginning in coastal British Columbia. In doing so, the CSIA was able to set up a defense through the implementation of the Keep Canada Fishing initiative to fight bad science and the infiltration of U.S. funding trying to influence the closures of access to fishing in Canada.
The CSIA/CNSF Board of Directors realized the importance of Phil’s effectiveness in promoting and protecting the Canadian recreational fishing industry’s health and voted unanimously to appoint Phil as the organizations’ Director of Government Affairs.
CSIA/CNSF President Kim Rhodes commented, “Phil’s dedication and determination to set things right for the betterment of millions of Canadian anglers will continue during the peak of threats we are now facing in Canada from environmental groups. We are fortunate to have Phil’s knowledge and guidance as we move forward.”
