America’s anglers are more diverse than ever, a key finding of the 2019 Special Report on Fishing, released today by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF). Both women and Hispanics are casting their lines in record-breaking numbers, with 17.7 million and 4.4 million participants, respectively.
“It’s often assumed that all anglers look alike,” says Stephanie Vatalaro, RBFF’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. “Our mission is to welcome everyone to the water — because if you want to learn to fish, you should have that opportunity no matter who you are. And while our work isn’t over, it’s clear from these results that the tides are changing.”
In addition to record-breaking diversity, other highlights from the Special Report on Fishing include:
- 49.4 million Americans participate in fishing annually.
- Americans go fishing a cumulative 883 million days annually, or 17.9 days each year per person.
- More non-anglers than ever, 33.9 million people, are interested in trying fishing.
- Parents are 45 percent more likely to go fishing than adults without children.
- More than 3 in 4 anglers view fishing’s environmental benefits as one reason they participate in the activity.
RBFF’s diversity initiatives include its #WomenMakingWaves social media movement and its George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund.
Created in partnership with The Outdoor Foundation, the Special Report on Fishing provides one of the most comprehensive looks at the state of U.S. fishing and boating participation. The full report, along with an accompanying infographic, is available at the RBFF Resource Center.
About the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (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’s recently announced 60 in 60 effort strives to attract 60 million anglers to the sport by the end of 2021. To help recruit, retain and reactivate participants, RBFF developed the award-winning Take Me Fishing™ and Vamos A Pescar™ campaigns creating awareness about boating, fishing and conservation, and educating people about the benefits of participation. These campaigns help boaters and anglers of all ages and experience levels learn, plan and equip for a day on the water. The campaign websites, TakeMeFishing.org and TakeMeFishing.org/es, feature how-to videos, 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.