Page 43 - 52nd Annual White Marlin Open

IGFA FOUNDER MICHAEL LERNER
Michael Lerner poses with his gift to the American Natural History Museum

group would form the IGFA’s nucleus Hemingway’s international fame, deep War II with the design of survival kits
throughout its early years. With sta - involvement with big-game fishing and for servicemen stranded or adrift at
ing and finances in place the IGFA then contributions to billfish conservation sea. In February of 1943, the kits were
had to decide what to do. The needs brought prestige and visibility to the formally adopted by the US Navy and
were legion: create a portfolio of stan- newly formed IGFA. As importantly, shortly thereafter by the other mari-
dardized angling rules along with a rig- his advocacy of ethical and responsible time services. Packed in a sealed co ee
orous ethical credo and develop a net- angling practices aligned with the early can and weighing about three pounds,
work of representatives to promulgate mission of the IGFA. each element in the kit was carefully
IGFA principles in distant lands. described and its use outlined in a va-
The second event had an entirely di er- riety of di erent settings. Instructions
Shortly after the founding of the IGFA, ent impact. Any student of American were also included as to the capture of
two significant, but unrelated, events history knows that 1939 was the eve of birds, bait, turtles, crawfish, and any-
occurred which had a significant im- World War II, and like many American thing else that might keep them alive.
pact on the organization. In 1940, Er- institutions at that time, Lerner and the
nest Hemingway was named as an hon- IGFA jumped in to play a crucial role Once approved, the kits were con-
orary vice president of the Association, during this global crisis. The group as- structed by Julian Crandall and his
a el o r h e el l i f d u l i t n s i h d e h t a n i 9 1 . 1 6 sisted the Allied forces during World Ashaway Line & Twine Company in

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