Capt. Bill Miller, a lifetime angler and host of Brighthouse Networks “Hooked on Fishing,”
received the 2007 Don Hansen Conservation Award on March 3,2007 at the Tampa Tribune
Southeastern Outdoor Expo in Tampa.

“It’s an honor to follow such past recipients as Frank Sargeant, Gene Turner, Capt. Scott Moore, former Hillsborough County Commissioner Jan Platt and Governor Charlie Crist,” Miller said. “Conservation of our natural resources has been a personal mission of mine for many years. So this award is very gratifying because it means I’ve been doing something significant for the environment.”

The award was presented by Hansen, a former commissioner with the Florida Marine Fisheries Commission and a pioneer in snook conservation. Hansen said that with so many deserving individuals engaged in the collective efforts of conservation, selecting an award recipient requires much contemplation. The key criteria, he said, is action.

“When I choose the person who will receive this award, I look at what they’ve done, not just what they talk about,” Hansen said. “Some people work, while other people worry. I’ve known Bill Miller a long time and he has worked hard on conservation issues.”

Tampa Tribune Outdoor Editor Frank Sargeant has interacted with Miller extensively over the past several years. He described Miller’s position in the Tampa Bay community as one of tenure and dedication.

“Bill has been fishing on Tampa Bay since he was a little kid, so he has seen the changes in the bay over the years,” said Sargeant. “He was one of the first guys who were aware that things were changing for the worse when the water quality went down.

“He’s been right in there from the get-go on working to improve our habitat and our fishery laws. So, he’s been a very important part of all the improvement we’ve had over the last 15 years.”

Miller said that, along with the recognition brought by the Don Hansen Conservation Award comes a responsibility to uphold its meaning. For Miller, habitat preservation stands as a key component of resource conservation.

“You can have clean water, and that is important, but without habitat there are no fish,” he said. “It’s my job to carry the torch and pass on to future generations the legacy that we have started. I’m committed to teaching them how all the elements of habitat, water quality and speciesmanagement work together.”

OTHER AWARDS

Humanitarian Legacy:

On Nov. 9, 2007, Capt. Bill received the Ted Williams Award at the 10th annual Mercury Grand Slam Celebrity Fishing Tournament to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. The award recognizes individuals whose athletic excellence and love of the outdoors is championed by a personal commitment to humanitarianism. It was created in 1998 by the tournament’s founding members to celebrate the accomplishments Hall of Famer Ted Williams made, with an impact that reached beyond baseball into the lives of children across the country.

Past recipients include NBA Hall of Famer John Havliceck, Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, former Tampa Bay Rays GM Chuck Lamar, Curt Gowdy, Frank Sargeant, Steve Yerrid, Stu Apte, Dr. Cameron Tebbi and the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Brad Richards. 

Community Focus:

On September 9, 2006 Capt. Bill’s selfless commitment to hometown initiatives was recognized during the second annual John Tortorella Celebrity Fishing Tournament when organizers presented him with the event’s 2006 Community Fisherman award. Hosted by the head coach of the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning, the tournament benefits the Child Abuse Council, The Children’s Home, Inc., and the Lightning Foundation.

Service Minded:

Capt. Bill was one of the founding committee members for the Mercury Grand Slam Celebrity Fishing Tournament, which is held each November in St. Petersburg to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. In recognition of his volunteer service as the event’s chairman for the past 10 years, PCF awarded Capt. Bill the Outstanding Service Award during its 2006 tournament.