Press Releases

The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) revealed new boating and fishing research at the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) this morning in Orlando, Fla. The Special Report on Fishing and Boating, conducted by RBFF and the Outdoor Foundation, provides detailed information on participation by gender, age, ethnicity, income, education and geographic region. The report revealed that of the 48.5 million anglers in the U.S., 8.5 million are interested in owning a boat. Other key findings include: (1) Greater access to more and better fishing is the leading motivation for fishing participants considering boat ownership; (2) Fishing is the most popular gateway activity to get kids interested in other outdoor pursuits; (3) Fishing continues to be a strong pathway to boating.

“We know that there are strong ties between boating and fishing and it is critical to understand this relationship to grow participation in our beloved outdoor sports,” said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. “The research finds that anglers who don’t currently own a boat represent a great potential for boat sales. This Special Report will be valuable in shaping future programs and stakeholders can use it to their advantage by focusing on the analysis that’s most important to their organization.”

KEY FINDINGS

Boat Ownership

• 33% of all fishing participants own a boat (approximately 12.7 million) and males and females have nearly equal ownership rates among this specific group, 34% and 32% respectively.
• An estimated 427 million boating days were enjoyed by fishing participants in 2008.
• 8.5 million fishing participants are considering owning a boat.
• Greater access to more and better fishing is the leading motivation for fishing participants considering boat ownership (52%) followed by opportunities for recreation and relaxation (24%).
• For boating anglers, fishing is the most popular activity to do while boating with 91.1% saying they fish while on a boat.

Fishing

• In 2008, fishing participants made one billion annual outings.
• Fishing is the most popular gateway activity that often leads to participation in other outdoor activities (77.9% of fishing participants participate in multiple outdoor activities). 
• Freshwater fishing is most popular among young people, with almost 25% under the age of 18 (24.6%).
• The median age bracket of saltwater fishing participants is 35-44.
• Fly fishing has significant growth opportunities across a number of demographics, particularly females (20.2% of participants), minority groups (20% of participants), and youth (12.4% of participants).

Youth Participation

• Nearly half of all youth ages 13 to 17 are influenced by their friends to participate in outdoor activities (46.9%).
• Female participation in fishing falls significantly more than males through adolescence, down 29.6% as opposed to 11.7%.
• Youth participants ages six to 12 are driven by a desire for fun (78.6%) and an interest in exploring the natural world (50.9%).

Hispanic Participation

• In 2008, Hispanic fishing participants made more than 45.8 million annual outings.
• Hispanic youth ages six to 12 have the highest participation rate among all age groups (19.5%) followed by youth ages 13-17 (16.4%).
• The most common participation barrier cited among Hispanics is lack of time (53.3%) followed by a perceived lack of access to fishing areas (17%).

“Boating and fishing enthusiasts are among the most important and influential members of the outdoor community. Therefore, it is critical that we learn more about their preferences and motivations,” said The Outdoor Foundation Executive Director Christine Fanning. “This Special Report should be required reading for anyone who wants to inspire a greater appreciation for and participation in the outdoors.”

The methodology and full study is available online at RBFF.org.

About RBFF
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 helps people discover, share and protect the legacy of boating and fishing through national outreach programs including the Take Me Fishing™ campaign and Anglers' Legacy™.
 

Contacts: 
Heather Sieber (RBFF), 703-778-5160, hsieber@rbff.org
Chris Fanning (Outdoor Foundation), 202-271-3252, cfanning@outdoorfoundation.org