(see also 'Numbers of Anglers in Europe')

EAA Statement: Many of the studies you'll find below are not comparable in time or from one country to another. Terms, defintions and methodology used are often disparate and confusing. Europe urgently needs a pan-European study on recreational angling done every fifth year as it happens in e.g. the US and Canada. Therefore the EAA has worked out a RECFISH project, which delivers such a study (see here) but funding is needed. Cost is estimated 2 mill euro, which is 400,000 per annum - a very small amount if shared by EU's 27 Member States. For some member states a pan-European study might not present much of a new cost as they might only need to adapt some of their ongoing and future surveys to the RECFISH frame, timeset and methodology.
Europe
Austria	'Soziale und ökonomische Bedeutung der Angelfischerei in Österreich', (2000) Dr. Kohl im Auftrag des ÖKF
Belgium	Flemish Belgium: Hengelsport-Enquête 2003
Czech Rep.	Socioeconomic Study of Sport Fishing in the Czech Republic (2003) More figures on Czech angling
Denmark	Nordic Socio-economic study (2000) (4.46 MB) A 'Gallup' survey (1996) for the Danish Ministry of Fisheries calculated 600,000 anglers (18-66 y.o.). Youngsters <18 and elderly people >66 is thought to bring another 50,000 anglers to the total according the discussion here. The Gallup survey is not available on the Internet) Impact if recreational fishery on the formal Danish economy (2003), Eva Roth, Susanne Jensen. page 9: 'The result of the survey showed an annual mean expenditure of 1,170 DKK (about 156 Euro) per recreational fisher. According to the survey recreational fishermen in Denamrk used an aggregate amount of 517 million DKK (about 68.9 mill. Euro) on recreational fishery in 1999.' NB! Figures are very low mainly due to the fact, that (page 22): 'The impact of exenditure on recreational fishery activities on direct and indirect employment was estimated to 758 persons. The employment figures only include jobs induced by the variable costs of recreational fishermen. These must be counted on the top of the jobs induced by producing and selling fishing equipment and other related investments, which was not the subject of this study.' In a press release of 14 May 2004 supermarket chain 'FAKTA' informs that Denmark has 650.000 anglers (population 5,3 mill) according a 1998 survey. In less than one week the supermarket chain sold more than 100.000 pieces of 'fishing packets' (rod, reel, other equipment). FAKTA sold the fishing gear from their 277 stores.
England (see UK)
Estonia	'Approximately 30,000 Recreational fishermen', Endrik Tõnsberg, Estonian Sport Fishing Federation, in his presentation 22 June 2006: http://www.fdd.fr/
Finland	'Recreational fishing - Catches and value in recreational fishing in 2004' (NB : not socio-economic value but catch value) Full report - 'Recreational Fishing 2004' See also: Nordic Socio-economic study (2000) (4.46 MB)
France	Etude socio-économique et spatialisée des usages du milieu aquatique - Lot n°2 : pêche de loisir - Rapport final et synthèse AND International et SOMIVAL pour l’Agence de l’Eau Seine Normandie (2004) La synthèse (424 K) Le rapport (794 K) ------------------------- La pêche récréative et sportive: quel poids économique? Les pêcheurs de loisirs ont été sondés par BVA, à leur demande, l' objectif étant de disposer de données objectives et incontestables sur leur activité. Les premiers résultats de cette étude font apparaître qu'un peu plus de 3 millions de personnes, de toutes tranches d'âge sont concernées. Le prélèvement par rapport aux pêcheurs professionnels serait compris entre 2 et 4 %. Enfin, l'impact économique direct de ce loisir serait de 5 à 8 milliards d'euros. cf Marin N° 3053, 13/01/06 (no link) Le président de la Confédération Nàtionâle de la Plaisance et de la Pêche en Mer (CNPPM) évoque pour nous les résultat de I'enquête BVA (Côt & Pêche No 1, May-June 2007)
Germany	'Die sozio-ökonomische Bedeutung der Angelfischerei in Bayern', Thesis by Mathias Lederer, Abteilung Fischbiologie, Universität München, München 1997. Main results presented in:"Data from Actual Surveys - Social and Economic Value of RECREATIONAL FISHING" (2002) High resolutionc (7.52 MB) Low resolution ( 3.27 MB) Angelfischerei in Deutschland - eine soziale und ökonomische Analyse // Recreational fisheries in Germany - a social and economic analysis
Hungary	'Inland fisheries, angling and aquaculture in Hungary', PowerPoint presentation by Zoltán Karácsonyi, Centre for Environmental Management and Policy, University of Debrecen, presented at the International Workshop on the Sustainable Management of Freshwater Fisheries and Nature Conservation in Central and Eastern European Countries, IUCN Office for Central Europe, December 2003. (no link) 'A socio-ecological survey on fishing in Hungary', prepared for the National Federation of Hungarian Anglers by György Füresz, Budapest, 1999. Main results presented in: "Data from Actual Surveys - Social and Economic Value of RECREATIONAL FISHING" (2002) High resolution ( 7.52 MB) Low resolution ( 3.27 MB)
Iceland	Nordic Socio-economic study (2000) (4.46 MB) Economic value of Icelandic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in angling and net fisheries (2002), Árni Ísaksson and Sumarliði Óskarsson, Directorate of Freshwater Fisheries, Vagnhöfði 7, 110 Reykjavík Page 1: 'Angling for Atlantic salmon in Iceland has been growing steadily for the last 50 years and is now a higly valuable fishery. It has been roughly estimated that direct and indirect revenues from the Icelandic angling catch of approximately 30.000 salmon amount to US $ 30 million, which corresponds to $ 1000 per angled salmon.'
Ireland	"An Economic / Socio-Economic Evaluation of Wild Salmon in Ireland", 27 May 2003 The report: Full text (958KB) "Salmon angling by tourists 'worth more to economy'" - 28/5/2003 [The Irish TImes]
Latvia
Lithuania	Recreational Fisheries in Lithuania (2005 - NB: new study under way)
Italy
Netherlands
Norway	Nordic Socio-economic study (2000) (4.46 MB) Gov page: 'Turisme og kystkultur' // 'Tourism and Coastal Culture' 'Vurdering av turistfiske som inntektskilde i Norge - hvilke inntekter gir turistfiske sammenlignet med yrkesfiske?' (2003) // 'Examination of tourism fishing as an income source for Norway - how much income from tourism fishing compared to commercial fisheries?' (2003) (Note: It is concluded (page 5) that the income per kilo fish is ten times higher for tourism angling than for commercial fisheries. Page 6 -with reference to the report 'fisk som agn' (2000)- informs that an estimated 224,000 fishing tourists visited Norway in year 2000 with an estimated growth rate of ca. 35,000 per year) 'Fritidsfiske i sjøen 2003' // 'Recreational Marine Fisheries 2003' Utenlandske bilturisters fiske i saltvann i Norge 2004 // Foreign motorists' fishing in saltwater in Norway 2004 'Fisk som agn - Utenlandsk turistfiske i Norge' (2001) // 'Fish as bait - Foreign tourism fishing in Norway' (no link)
Poland
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden	Press release 17 July 2007 by Fiskeriverket concerning release of some results from 2006 survey: 'Fritidsfisket - en miljardindustri' // 'The recreational fishing - a billion kroner industry' Quote (translated from Swedish): The Director General of the Fiskeriverket Axel Wenblad: - 'It is evident that the interest is high and that both recreational fishing and the fishing tourism have a strong growth potential. The survey is an important part of our work to develop further these businesses.' Note: The 2006 figures released show that: about 1 million Swedish people -15 procent of all between 16-74 y.o.- went fishing recreationally in 2006. Their expenses amounted to ca. 1,7 billion Swedish kronor // 185 mill euro (note: seems very low compared to other countries) fishing days were calculated to 14 million. Anglers 11 mill days, other recreational fishermen ( e.g. nets and traps) 3 mill days. 18,000 tonnes of fish caught by sea and freshwater recreational fishermen (anglers and other ). This equals 8% of the country's total catch (note: commercial fisheries account for 92% it seems) 2/5 of the catches were taken from freshwaters, 3/5 from the sea. Note: NB! Compared to 2004 there is seen a decline in participation from 1,8 mill to1 mill people. However, new methodology has been introduced. If the 2004 methodology had been used on the 2006 survey the decline would had been 'only' 400,000. 'Förutsättningar för fisketurismens utveckling i Sverige' (2005) // 'Conditions for the development of fishing tourism in Sweden' 'Sportfiskets betydelse och samhällsnytta' (2003) -Ingemar Norling. Sekt. För vårdforskning Sahlgrenska universitetssjukhuset, Göteborg Jan. 2003 Fiske 2005 - Undersökning om svenskarnas fritidsfiske // Fishing 2005 - Survey on the Swedish people's leisure fishing Sammanfattning // summary 6 pages Hela rapporten // full report , 37 pages + enclosures 80 pages Pressmeddelandet // press release Fiske 2000 // Fishing 2000 (English summary page 6) Press release 22 May 2000: 'Fiske 2000 - Fritidsfisket i Sverige ökar' // 'Fishing 2000 - Leisure fishing in Sweden on the increase' See also: Nordic Socio-economic study (2000) (4.46 MB)
Switzerland	Angeln in der Schweiz' (vgl. SFZ 7-8/99 See also EAA brochure "Data from Actual Surveys - Social and Economic Value of RECREATIONAL FISHING" (2002) High resolution ( 7.52 MB) Low resolution ( 3.27 MB)
UK England and Wales Scotland Northern Ireland	Introduction to UK studies: In 2001 the Environment Agency (EA) economic survey calculated that the average annual expenditure on the sport by coarse anglers was £859 (giving an annual spend in England and Wales alone of almost £2 billion); the equivalent figures for game angling were £682/angler/annum and £545 in total for England and Wales. This suggests that, if Scotland and Northern Ireland are added, and sea angling is taken into account, the grand total for all UK angling could climb to about £4 billion // 6 billion euro. ------- - Public attitudes to angling in UK (England and Wales) 2005 page 6: Overall participation in angling 13% of the population over 12 said they had been fishing (freshwater and/or sea) in the last 2 years (5.8 million people). 9% of the population over 12 (4.2 million people) had been fishing (freshwater and/or sea) in the last year. - Tackle survey by UK magazine _Tackle and Guns_ June 2003 - Study into Inland and Sea Fisheries in Wales, (2002) Nautilus Consultants (Note: Values the South Wales Inshore fishery at £8 million per annum and the contribution of Recreational Sea Angling to the South Wales economy at £28 million. NB! Tthe Countryside Commission of Wales has expressed they believe the £28 million is a low estimate and that the figure should be closer to £57million) A further report on the value of recreational angling has been compiled by Nautilus for the Invest In Fish project in the South-West www.investinfish.org : - 'The Motivation, Demographics and Views of South West Recreational Sea Anglers and their Socio-economic Impact on the Region' (2005), Nautilus Consultants (Note: InvInFish steering Group member Malcolm Gilbert (page 3): 'The £165 million of sea angling expenditure supports 3000 jobs across the South West and such figures justify serious consideration of how our fish stock resources should be managed and for what overarching purpose.') - 'Net Benefits Report - A sustainable and profitable future for UK fishing' (2004), Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit - In June 2005, the four UK Fisheries Administrations published their joint response to the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report Net Benefits (page with links to report and summary) (Note: The report values the recreational sea angling sector as being worth ‘at least £1 billion’ and estimates that there are 2 million people who went sea angling in England & Wales in 2002) - 'Research into the Economic Contribution of Sea Angling (2004)', Drew Associates Limited - Main Report (Note: The report calculated that the direct spend by Recreational anglers in the England & Wales amounted to £538 million and the total worth of the sector could be some £1.3 billion). Page iii: 'The total expenditure by anglers resident in England and Wales was estimated as £538m per year from 12.7m angler days of activity (..) In terms of first round impacts, the spending translates into 18,889 jobs and £71m in suppliers. income. Multiplier effects were not measured.' Page 65:' Our figures are not easily compared with the £28m injection of expenditure by anglers into the Welsh coastal economy (Nautilus Consultants, 2002), not least because different countries are involved. Their figure of 41,100 anglers fishing in Wales seems low compared with our Omnibus estimate of at least 1.1m [sea anglers] for England and Wales. In addition, their expenditure figures appear to consist only of trip-related spending, and exclude the important overhead cost element in the annual spend - especially on capital items such as tackle and boats.' Page 66: 'Using the full range of estimates, we derive a total value for the angling experience of between £600m and £1,300m per year.' - Economics of Recreational Sea Angling (Jan 2007), Compiled by the Sea Anglers’ Conservation Network, SACN - Tourism Recreation & implications for the coastal environment (2005), Bob Earll CMS Last page: 'In many regions of the UK Recreational angling is worth as much or more than traditional fisheries ……..' - Article: Popular fish stocks may only last 10 years, 28 May 2007 'Over-fishing by commercial fishermen will devastate stocks of fish most popular with anglers within a decade if no action is taken,...The study shows that the projected decline in fish stocks will lead to a decline in demand for recreational angling of around 50 per cent by 2018, leading to a loss to the South West economy of up to £20 million as well as the loss of up to 660 jobs'. - Note: UK commercial fisheries - Statistics on the value and employment within the commercial fishing sector are available at www.defra.gov.uk/fish/sea/stats/index.htm and www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nscl.asp?ID=8181 The value of the landings of the UK fleet, both in the UK and in foreign ports for 2004 was £513 million - ‘A Bio Economic Review Of Recreational Angling for Bass’ (2004), Ben Dillon, Scarborough Centre for Coastal Studies' - 'The Economic Impact of Game and Coarse Angling in Scotland' (2004) - Press release of 15 March 2004 - Scottish Executive - 'Angling reels in £113m for economy' (note: no sea but game and coarse angling only) Visit Scotland '...The principal aim was to analyse the impact of angler expenditure on output income and employment. Two key findings were: - anglers spend a total of £113million on angling in Scotland, with salmon and sea trout anglers accounting for over 65% (£73m) of this total. - £20.7m of expenditure would be lost in the Highland region if salmon and sea trout fishing were to cease. The best estimate is that freshwater angling in Scotland results in the Scottish economy producing over £100m worth of annual output, which support around 2,800 jobs and generates nearly £50m in wages and self-employment income to Scottish households. - 'Report on Inquiry into the Marine Environment' (2007), Environment and Rural Development Committee Report, Scottish Parliament '...The Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers estimated that recreational sea angling is worth over £150 million a year to the Scottish economy through associated retail trades and tourism – the future of which relies on the quality of fish stocks.' - Glasgow Caledonian University - study on angling - Written By: John Anderson Northern Ireland - release by Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure '...To support the development of the angling product it is essential to have baseline data and an assessment of the current and potential value to the economy. There has never been a complete evaluation of angling in Northern Ireland. The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) in partnership with the Loughs Agency and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board has commissioned Consultants to deliver a Report on 'the Social and Economic Impact to NI and the Loughs Agency area of Recreational Fisheries, Angling and Angling Resources'. The Report will deliver fisheries databases and evaluate the current and potential value of angling to the Northern Ireland economy.'
Others:
EU desk study	FINAL REPORT "EU contract FISH/2004/011 on "Sport Fisheries" (or Marine Recreational Fisheries) in the EU"; For The European Commission Directorate-General for Fisheries, Prepared by M. G. Pawson, D. Tingley, G, Padda1, and H. Glenn (2007) Note: We are very pleased with ‘Chapter 2: Definitions’ in this EU funded desk study. In particular we are happy that the authors found the EAA definition most useful (page 10 and 24): ‘There is a confusing array of definitions in the literature pertaining to recreational fishing and its constituent parts and related sectors (EAA, 2004a; FAO, 2000). Most confusing, to those not intimately involved with the field, is the interchangeable use of the some of the following terms: fishing, commercial fishing, subsistence fishing, recreational fishing, marine recreational fishing, leisure fishing, sports fishing, angling and recreational angling.’ ‘Definitions adopted in the Report Given the importance of clearly defining terms in relation to recreational fishing, it is necessary to define and use a coherent set of terminology in this study. Since there is no common definition, we have decided to use the EAA definitions (2004b) as summarised in 2.5 below. The table structure clearly states the breakdown of the various forms of recreational fishing and shall be referred to consistently throughout the report.’
Sport Fishing: tuna fishing in the Mediterranean	'Sport Fishing: an informative and economic alternative for tuna fishing in the Mediterranean (SFITUM)'. EC Project 02/C132/11/41 Coordinateur, Ana Gordoa, CEAB-CSIC - Final Report December/2004 Volume I Volume II
Nordic Study	Nordic Socio-economic study (2000) (4.46 MB)
IUCN	'Freshwater Fisheries in Central & Eastern Europe - Major Underlining Causes of Biodiversity Decrease in Selected CEE Countries', overview report compiled for European Sustainable Use Specialist Group of IUCN / SSC Fisheries Working Group, IUCN Office for Central Europe by Dr. Robert Aps, Estonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu, July 2003.
EIFAC/FAO	'ECONOMIC ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACING EUROPE IN THE FIELD OF SPORT FISHERIES' by Jean-Louis Gaudet Acting Secretary European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC)
EAA - value	"Data from Actual Surveys - Social and Economic Value of RECREATIONAL FISHING" (2002) High resolution ( 7.52 MB) " Data from Actual Surveys - Social and Economic Value of RECREATIONAL FISHING" (2002) Low resolution ( 3.27 MB)
EAA and EFTTA - Angling Tourism	PowerPoint Presentation by EAA and EFTTA given at the workshop 'Sustainable Marine and Coastal Tourism', 14 May 2007, Barcelona. The workshop was organised by EBCD with the support of the Government of Catalunya – DG Turisme, the European Anglers Alliance (EAA) and the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) , with the collaboration of the European Commission. Agenda, presentations, working docs etc. here. European Angling Tourism // 'Fisketurism i ett Europeiskt perspektiv', presentation by J. Kappel, (venue: Seminar on 'Sportfishing and the Commune' // ’Sportfisket och kommunen’ at the Sportfiskemässan 2007/Sportfishing exhibition 2007, 16 march 2007)
EFTTA (2002)	PRESENTATION for the Fishery Committee of the European Parliament on November 12th 2002 by the President of the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA)
Outside Europe
United States	National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation 2001 | 2006 (preliminary report - final report Nov 2007) Home-page for 'National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation' (incl addendum to the 2001 and 2006 reports e.g. 'Black Bass and Trout Fishing in the United States') 'Sportfishing in America' - Facts at a glance, ASA leaflet (8 pages) The Economics of Recreational and Commercial Striped Bass Fishing 'The Relative Economic Contributions of U.S. Recreational and Commercial Fisheries' (2006), by SA Southwick Associates for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Cuttings Page iV: 'In 2004, approximately 82 million marine recreational fishing trips were taken by 14 million anglers. These anglers spent over $16 billion, which in turn generated over $34 billion in total economic activity, supporting nearly 360,000 full and part time jobs, and billions in tax revenues and income (salaries, wages and business profits).' Page V: 'In 2004, commercial fishermen landed $1.7 billion in finfish (dock side value). After going through wholesalers, processors, distributors and retail points, the total resulting economic activity totaled nearly $9.9 billion and supported 126,477 jobs.' Page Vi: '...the total national economic impact from commercial finfish fisheries is 28.54 percent of the impact created by marine recreational fisheries...Please note that the commercial fisheries reported above include significant fisheries such as hake, pollock and other offshore fisheries not targeted by recreational anglers.'
Australia	National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey - Australian government's final report (08/2003) Australian Gov, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: Recreational Fisheries publications 'Gone fishing!', A survey of recreational and indigenous fishing in Australia from 2001-2002, Leaflet (2 pages) Ongoing, South Australia: Recreational Fishing Survey 2007/08 Article 17 June 2007: 'The serious business of angling' 'By any measure, recreational fishing is a serious business in Australia today. The last survey – in 2005 – showed Aussies spent $680 million a year on fishing tackle alone. With rapid growth, especially by big retailers and outdoors leisure stores, that figure is on track to crack the billion dollar mark sometime in 2008 or 09....but it’s hard to develop sound policies because we still know so little about it. Some much of the information is anecdotal or inferred from local surveys. That’s why we’ve teamed up with the Fisheries R&D Corporation, because we know we need to carry out some serious research into recreational angling.' Surveys and data, recreational fishing: New South Wales www.nsw.fi sh.gov.au Victoria www.dpi.vic.gov.au Queensland www.dpi.qld.gov.au South Australia www.pir.sa.gov.au Western Australia www.fish.wa.gov.au Tasmania www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au Northern Territory www.fisheries.nt.gov.au
Canada	Survey of Recreational Fishing in Canada 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005
British Columbia	BC Wildlife Federation 'The revenues from recreational angling in BC are significant drivers to our economy and positively influence our GDP. Combined tidal and freshwater revenue estimates from angling in BC are currently in excess of 1.2 billion dollars annually. In 2002 some $550,000,000 was spent on tidal water angling and in 1995 $494,000,000 was spent on freshwater angling (which provided approximately $99,000,000 in government revenue).'
New Zealand	Ministry of Fisheries, Annual Report 2005/2006 Reports without links. Contact: Edwin Massey at the Ministry of Fisheries in New Zealand: - Thomson, J. and H. Rennie 2004, “Valuing the charter fishing industry (Part I: Establishing the nature and extent of the industry) Final Report:, unpubl. Report commissioned by the Ministry of Fisheries, contract MOF2001/04D. P.172 +CD-ROM - Working paper 1: Review of literature and construction of a model’ unpubl. Report prepared for the Ministry of Fisheries and Fishery Assessment Working Groups. May 2004. MFish research project MOF2001/04. P. 80