Sea angling 2016 - a major new UK-wide study of sea angling

Sea angling is of huge economic and social importance in the UK, and information is required to help sea angling bodies and government to make better informed decisions on policies for promoting the long-term conservation of our valuable fish stocks.

In 2016 the UK is conducting surveys to find out more about the importance of sea angling, including:

•    What is being caught
•    How much is being spent on the sport

We need the assistance of a large sample of people who fish for recreation in the sea around the UK, and who would be willing to keep a diary recording their fishing trips, catches and expenditure on sea angling in 2016.

What will the Project Involve?

i) Questionnaire
The first part of the research involves a brief survey of thousands of anglers to get basic information about how often they fished in the sea in 2015, how often they might fish in the sea in 2016 and whether they would be willing to take part in a diary survey in 2016.
Please take the questionnaire or access more information here: http://www.substance.net/seaangling2016/

ii) Sea Angler Diaries
Throughout 2016 hundreds of anglers will complete a diary of what they catch and what they spend on sea angling.  If you would like to take part in the diary study next year, please email anglingresearch@substance.net.

Who is Undertaking the Sea Angling 2016 Research?

The research is commissioned by Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and is being carried out by Substance who have undertaken a wealth of research to support the development of angling in the UK in the last decade.

The data collected will enable national and local policy makers to make informed decisions on fisheries management, and provide the sea angling community with information to help them develop their own views and policies. This will benefit anglers and businesses while helping to conserve and improve fish stocks by ensuring management decisions are based on the best possible scientific data.

Data from Sea Angling 2016 will allow the governments in the UK to have as accurate a picture as possible about sea angling in the UK – what is caught and what is spent – so that they can make properly-informed decisions on management for sustainable development of all forms of sea fishing around our coasts.

The results of the diary study will help the UK meet its obligations to report on recreational catches of certain species as specified by the EU Data Collection Framework and the EU Council Regulation 1224/2009. The Data Collection Framework was established in 2002 to encourage EU Member States collect sufficient data to allow the state of European fish stocks to be monitored as accurately as possible by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas and by the EU Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee on Fisheries. It requires collection of recreational fishery data from all forms of non-commercial fishing from shore and boats.

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