News

US tackle and apparel brand AFTCO has now donated more than $9 million to conservation efforts through its 10% Pledge, where it gives at least that percentage of its profits to fisheries and sustainability initiatives.

Since 1973, the company has worked to protect saltwater species and the habitats they rely on. From 2005 to 2025, AFTCO and the Shedd family have been contributing at least 10 per cent of annual profits to conservation work.

In 2025 alone, AFTCO donated more than $600,000, continuing a multigenerational commitment that dates back more than 50 years and remains central to how the company operates today.

AFTCO President Casey Shedd explained: “The 10% Pledge sits at the core of AFTCO. It’s a pledge made by our family, but one that starts and ends with the passionate anglers who purchase AFTCO and make it possible. Your support enabled us to donate over $600,000 in 2025 alone.”

The origins of the pledge trace back to Milt Shedd, who believed deeply that those who benefit from the ocean have a responsibility to protect it. That philosophy began taking shape in the early 1970s and was formally established as a company-wide commitment by his son, Bill, embedding conservation directly into AFTCO’s business model.Today, the third generation of the Shedd family continues to lead the company with that same long-term vision.

Casey added: “This consistency and multigenerational belief are among the things that make small, family-owned companies special.

“There is no short-term business justification for this kind of expense, yet I believe it is our most important discretionary spend. The 10% Pledge, and programs like it, carried out by small, family-owned businesses across the country, require passion, independence, and a long

Key partners and contributions include $635,000+ to the Coastal Conservation Association and its habitat arm, the Building Conservation Trust; $407,395 to the Center for Sportfishing Policy, supporting fisheries policy and advocacy efforts since 2010; $219,000 to the International Game Fish Association (IGFA); $165,000 supporting grassroots Bass Nation club conservation projects and $100,000 contributed to Captains For Clean Water, raising awareness and pushing for science-based solutions to Florida’s water management issues.

These figures do not include the tens of thousands of volunteer hours or millions of dollars in donated product. Notably, AFTCO Chairman Bill Shedd has volunteered over 400 hours annually on conservation and fishing access issues for over 40 years.

AFTCO also supports causes through product donations and volunteer time. AFTCO staff is encouraged to use company time to volunteer with AFTCO’s 10% Pledge partners and dedicate significant time to initiatives such as fish hatcheries, CCA event, and cleanup projects.

Casey continued: “The 10% Pledge isn’t a campaign or a trend, it’s a long-term commitment rooted in our family’s history, and one we intend to uphold for generations to come. Most importantly, it’s made possible by the anglers who support AFTCO, Marsh Wear and the products our company has made, past and present.”

www.aftco.com/pages/conservation