Outdoor Life Magazine named Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser one of the nation’s top 25 people who have changed the face of hunting and fishing in 2010.

The 25 influential individuals were divided into four groups; leaders, innovators, conservationists and unsung heroes in the outdoor sports industry.

Nungesser was honored as a leader for being outspoken about the failures of BP and the government following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and for championing issues for local fishermen.

“Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, is one of the greatest recreational fishing spots in the world,” read the ‘Outdoor Life’ article on Nungesser. “As clean-up efforts continue, Nungesser is again leading the way, fighting for fishermen and a full recovery.”

“The ‘Outdoor Life’ 25 is one of the highest honors our magazine bestows,” Todd Smith, Editor-in-Chief of ‘Outdoor Life,’ said in a news release. “We look for people whose work has had a real and lasting effect on the outdoor community, and this year’s list of honorees is an unbelievable example of the innovation, hard work, and good deeds that are taking place in the world of hunting and fishing.”

Former picks to the “Outdoor Life” 25 list include Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and rock-and-roll musician Ted Nugent.

Only one of this year’s 25 honorees will win the Readers Choice Award, which can be voted on at the “Outdoor Life” website until Dec. 31.

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Michelle Provencher
michelle@plaqueminesgazette.com