Fishing participants continue to rise
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Fishing has consistently attracted new people to the sport over the last few years, according to a new report by the Recreational Boating Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and The Outdoor Foundation.
The 2011 Special Report on Fishing and Boating revealed that in 2010, 3.36 million people participated in fishing for the first time – an increase of two percent since 2008.
“We’re delighted to see the number of newcomers is increasing year over year,” said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. “The challenge lies in keeping people engaged in the sport. Eight million new or returning anglers participated last year, but more than 10 million dropped out. This is where we need ongoing programs that continue to engage them.”
The third annual report provides detailed information on boating and fishing participation by gender, age, ethnicity, income, education and geographic region. It was expanded in 2011 to look at the fishing “churn” rate, potential for new fishing participants and the use of technology.
- Can’t get enough boating news? Subscribe to our blog’s RSS feed, follow us on Twitter or look for “Boating Industry” on Facebook and LinkedIn.
- For more of the latest news, click study.