Fishing
Recreational fishing is one of America’s most popular and universal outdoor recreational activities. According to the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, 35.8 million Americans ages 16 and older went fishing in 2016, spending $44.7 billion on trips, equipment, and other fishing-related items.
To go fishing as a child is a nearly universal experience for Americans. There are probably few other recreational activities that are as widely shared as taking a rod and line to catch a fish in a pond, stream, lake, reservoir, or river. In fact, in a study conducted by Responsive Management, the percentage of Americans who have ever fished during their lifetime shows that at least a little experience with fishing is nearly universal: 83% of Americans indicate that they had fished as a child, and 71% had fished at least once since the age of 16.
Reasons why anglers fish have changed over time. Trend studies assessing anglers’ fishing motivations conducted by Responsive Management found that, overall, fishing to be with friends and family and fishing for relaxation are increasing.
Fishing cuts across all demographic variables in the U.S., although some groups are more likely to fish than others. Both freshwater and saltwater anglers tend to be avid outdoor recreationists who participate in a range of outdoor recreational activities such as boating, hunting, camping, wildlife watching, and hiking. A majority of anglers overall, both freshwater and saltwater, tend to be men. Also, a higher proportion of freshwater anglers come from rural areas than do saltwater anglers while a higher proportion of saltwater anglers tend to have higher incomes.
Broad demographic changes in the U.S., difficulties with access, and personal time constraints are contributing to decreased fishing participation. Most Americans now live in non-rural housing, while fishing participation is greatest among rural residents. Additionally, fishing participation rates are greater among whites than among minorities, while the percentages of whites in the total population is getting smaller; likewise, non-Hispanics fish at a greater rate than do Hispanics, and, again, the percentage of non-Hispanics in the total U.S. population is getting smaller.
Access is becoming more of a problem for anglers. Urbanization and development have resulted in increased roads, shopping centers, and housing subdivisions, which are limiting or blocking access to fishing areas that were once easily accessed. Time is also an important factor contributing to declining fishing participation, according to anglers. In many Responsive Management surveys, anglers report having to work more, having family obligations, and an increase in children’s “structured” or scheduled time, such as multiple athletic events in a single day, as time constraints that prevent them from going fishing as much as they would like or at all.
Fishing is best understood as a cultural, social, and naturalistic experience and not strictly as a recreational activity. Fishing, for most participants, is primarily a social activity and secondarily a recreational activity. The familial and relaxation aspects of fishing are more important for most participants and their satisfaction than the utilitarian aspects. Although fishing could not take place in the absence of a quality fisheries resource, the social benefits of fishing to most anglers, as well as perceived benefits to nonanglers, far exceed resource-related issues. As well, social constraints and barriers to fishing far exceed constraints and barriers that are resource-related. Promotion strategies that focus on the importance of familial and naturalistic aspects of fishing or on the relaxation fishing provides will succeed, while programs that focus solely on resource issues such as bigger fish, more fish, or structural issues will be less likely to succeed.
Responsive Management’s studies on fishing issues have examined participation in various forms of freshwater and marine fishing; motivations for fishing; constraints to fishing participation; fishing-related expenditures; preferred species to fish for; fishing and boating access; opinions on fisheries programs and management options; and more.
Recent examples of Responsive Management’s research on fishing include the following:
Anglers’ Opinions on Fisheries Management in Maine: This study was conducted for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to determine anglers’ participation, practices, and opinions regarding freshwater fishing in the state. The study entailed a telephone survey of resident and nonresident licensed anglers in Maine, age 16 years or older. Buy Now
North Carolina Trout Anglers’ Participation in and Satisfaction With Trout Fishing and Their Opinions on Specific Regulations: This study was conducted for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to determine North Carolina trout anglers’ participation in and satisfaction with trout fishing in North Carolina, as well as their opinions on various regulations. The study entailed a telephone survey of North Carolina licensed anglers who fish for trout. Buy Now
Arkansas Anglers’ Motivations for, Expenditures on, Methods of, and Opinions on Trout Fishing in Arkansas: This study was conducted for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to determine trout anglers’ participation in trout fishing, their methods and locations of fishing, their motivations, their expenditures, their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with trout fishing, and their opinions on various aspects of trout fishing in Arkansas. The study entailed a telephone survey of resident and nonresident Arkansas Trout Permit holders. Buy Now
Arizona Anglers’ Opinions, Attitudes, and Expenditures in the State: This study was conducted for the Arizona Game and Fish Department to determine anglers’ opinions on various regulations, their satisfactions and dissatisfactions with fishing in Arizona, their fishing locations and methods typically used, and their fishing-related expenditures in Arizona. The study entailed a multi-modal survey of Arizona anglers. Buy Now
South Carolina Recreational Anglers’ Participation in Marine Fishing and Their Opinions on Marine-Fishing Issues: This study was conducted for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division, to determine saltwater anglers’ participation in fishing and shellfishing and their attitudes toward saltwater fisheries management as well as their opinions on the Division. The study entailed a telephone survey of saltwater anglers who purchased a South Carolina Saltwater Recreational Fisheries License within the two prior years. Buy Now
Hunters’ and Anglers’ Opinions on Factors Related to License Purchasing Behavior: A Comparison of Avid, Inconsistent, and One-Time License Buyers: This study was conducted for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to determine hunters’ and anglers’ license purchasing behaviors, including their reasons for hunting and fishing, their ratings of their hunting and fishing experiences in Iowa, and their opinions on factors and messages encouraging participation in these sports. The study entailed a telephone survey of hunters and anglers. Within these groups of license buyers, the study examined three levels of avidity: avid license buyers, inconsistent license buyers, and one-time license buyers. Buy Now
Resident Participation in Freshwater and Saltwater Sport Fishing in Georgia: This study was conducted for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to determine the numbers of state residents participating in freshwater and saltwater sport fishing in Georgia within the previous 12 months. The study entailed a telephone survey of Georgia residents 18 years of age and older (although data were gathered regarding all those 6 years of age and older) in seven regions. Buy Now
New Hampshire Licensed Anglers’ Participation in and Satisfaction With Fishing: This study was conducted for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department to determine the types of fish that anglers fish for, their opinions on fishing and fishing-related issues in New Hampshire. The study entailed a multi-modal scientific survey of New Hampshire licensed freshwater anglers who had a fishing license and fished in freshwater in New Hampshire within the previous four years. Buy Now
Washington Angler Survey Report: This study was conducted for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to obtain data about Washington resident freshwater anglers’ participation in fishing, the species they most commonly fish for and the species most preferred, and their opinions on various regulations and Department efforts. The study entailed a telephone survey of Washington licensed resident anglers with licenses that allow for freshwater fishing (whether a combination or just a freshwater license). Buy Now
Enhancing Fishing Access Through a National Assessment of Recreational Boating Access: This study focuses on the intersection between boating and fishing activities. Recreational boating and fishing activities are intertwined and, consequently, as the number of participants in one activity falls, the other falls as well: conversely, as participation rises in one, it also rises in the other. This study was designed to determine whether a lack of boating access has contributed to decreases in participation and to create assessment tools for boating access that states and regions can replicate to measure their boating access programs and needs. Overall, the study included a review of previously published research; a series of focus groups with boaters; a focus group with boating industry representatives; a nationwide survey of boaters, including anglers who fish from a boat; and a national survey of boating industry representatives and boating agency professionals. Buy Now
Indiana Anglers’ Fishing Participation and Their Opinions on Fishing Management Issues: This study was conducted to determine Indiana anglers’ participation in fishing, the locations of their fishing, their ratings of the state agency and of fishing in general, their species preferences, and their opinions on various programs and management efforts. The study entailed a scientific multi-modal survey of Indiana resident licensed anglers. Buy Now
Understanding First-Time Fishing License Buyers: This study was conducted for the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation to better understand the motivations, interests, and expectations of first-time fishing license buyers. Specifically, the research examined first-time buyers’ expectations regarding fishing when they bought a license, opinions on their subsequent fishing experiences, and their attitudes toward the license buying process. The study consisted of focus groups with first-time fishing license buyers in Richmond, Virginia, and Denver, Colorado. Buy Now
North Carolina Catfish Anglers’ Participation in Catfishing and Their Opinions on Management of Catfish: Information about catfish anglers’ participation in various types of catfishing was obtained in a telephone survey conducted for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The study also identified the catfish species anglers fish for and prefer, their opinions on catfishing regulations and management, tournament participation, and consumption and selling of catfish. Buy Now
Freshwater and Saltwater Fishing Participation Among Alabama Residents: Rates of participation in freshwater and saltwater fishing were calculated for this statewide study, which also examined effects on fishing participation caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (also known as the BP oil spill) in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Buy Now
Identifying Sportfishing’s Competition to Improve Angler Recruitment and Retention: In this study, sponsored by the American Sportfishing Association, Responsive Management conducted a nationwide survey of anglers to identify which other outdoor recreation activities are competing for their time and why. The sample was stratified into active anglers, lapsed anglers, and ex-anglers. Buy Now