Korkers Joins Trout Unlimited in Fighting Aquatic Invasive Species

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 
Erin Mooney, National Press Secretary, TU (703) 284-9408
Sam Houser, Korkers (503)723-7100

Korkers Joins Trout Unlimited in Fighting Aquatic Invasive Species

Company to donate portion of sales of new wading boot to TU.

Arlington, Va.—Korkers, the Portland, Ore.-based wading boots manufacturer, is joining Trout Unlimited (TU) in the fight against aquatic invasive species. Korkers has pledged to donate 10 percent of the proceeds from sales of its new wading boot, the TU Guide Boot [1] to TU to help support TU's work in protecting rivers and streams.

The wading boot comes with two interchangeable outsoles, a Kling-On™ and Studded Kling-On™ for fast moving or slick river systems, both of which help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in America's rivers and streams.

In 2008, TU asked wading product manufacturers to stop the production of felt- soled wading boots by 2011. The Korkers OmniTrax interchangeable outsole system addresses the fight to  stop the spread of aquatic species in a unique way.  OmniTrax not only allows anglers to dedicate individual outsoles for unique river systems, the outsoles can also be removed for thorough drying or freezing to help kill invasives. Korkers' TU Guide Boot [1] is the first style in their product line that does not include felt as one of the standard outsoles.
"Korkers is a longstanding leader in the fishing industry," said Dave Kumlien, Executive Director of the Whirling Disease Foundation. "By joining this effort to help keep invasive species out of rivers and streams, Korkers is showing its dedication and commitment to protecting some of our country's most valuable resources."

"Korkers recognizes and supports the efforts of Trout Unlimited in the fight against the spread of invasive species," said Sean Beers, Korkers CEO.  "We're proud to be able to offer anglers a wading boot option which meets the standards set by TU while still providing exceptional traction performance for anglers."

For more information, or to purchase a pair of the TU Guide Boots, visit http://www.korkers.com/footwear/fishing/tu-edition-guide-boot.html [1]     

Preventing the proliferation of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) is central to  TU's mission to conserve and protect North America's trout and salmon fisheries.  The impact of ANS to native species is substantial, second only to loss of habitat, and is responsible for causing  losses in biodiversity, changes in ecosystems, and impacts on economic enterprises such as agriculture, fisheries, and international trade. The costs of preventing and controlling invasive species are not well understood or documented, but estimates indicate that the costs are significant.

For more information about invasive species and what anglers can do to prevent the spread of ANS, go to www.tu.org [2].

About Korkers

Since 1959, Korkers has created functional and versatile footwear for outdoor adventurers. Unique to the industry, Korkers' proprietary OmniTrax™ Interchangeable Sole System provides a variety of performance traction options - from felt to sticky rubber - so no fishing spot is out of reach. Korkers supports the Clean River Angling Pledge, a commitment for river users to pledge to clean, inspect and dry your boat, boots and waders. Korkers' extensive line of footwear and accessories can be found globally, through fishing and outdoor specialty stores and select online retailers. For more information, visit www.korkers.com [3].

Trout Unlimited is the nation's largest coldwater conservation organization, with 140,000 members dedicated to conserving, protecting, and restoring North America's trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds.