Fishing and boating are among the most important ‘gateway’ activities that often lead people, especially youth, to pursue other recreation experiences, said Christine Fanning, Executive Director of the Outdoor Foundation. We’re thrilled to partner, once again, with the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation on this important research project.
ALEXANDRIA, VA (August 15, 2013) –Showing a resurgence in one of America’s favorite pastimes, the number of Americans who went fishing was up in 2012, with more than 47 million people participating. Adding to the 42.5 million who are current or occasional anglers, more than 4.5 million first-timers tried fishing in 2012, a significant increase from 2011 and the highest number of new participants ever recorded. The 2013 Special Report on Fishing and Boating just released by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and The Outdoor Foundation also shows significant increases in fishing participation among women and children.
”We’re extremely pleased to see the number of first-time anglers and participation overall continue to trend upward,” said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. “Working closely with our industry and state agency partners, our collective effort is yielding well deserved results. Increased participation, in both fishing and boating, leads to increased license sales, and boat registrations, key sources for funding state fish and wildlife conservation.”
“Fishing and boating are among the most important ‘gateway’ activities that often lead people, especially youth, to pursue other recreation experiences,” said Christine Fanning, Executive Director of the Outdoor Foundation. “We’re thrilled to partner, once again, with the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation on this important research project.”
The fifth annual report details fishing participation by gender, age, ethnicity, income, education and geography.
KEY FINDINGS
Fishing Participation
Hispanic American Fishing Participation
Youth Fishing Participation
The full study is available online at TakeMeFishing.org/Corporate.
About the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF)
Celebrating 15 years in 2013, RBFF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, thereby protecting and restoring the nation’s aquatic natural resources. RBFF developed the award-winning Take Me Fishing™ campaign to create awareness around boating, fishing and conservation, and educate people about the benefits of participation. Take Me Fishing helps boaters and anglers of all ages and experience levels learn, plan and equip for a day on the water. The campaign website, TakeMeFishing.org, features tips and how-to’s that can be used all over the country, tools to compare different styles of boats, information on how to get a fishing license and boat registration, and an interactive state-by-state map that allows visitors to find local boating and fishing spots.